By Michael Gwarisa
For the past nine years, Mutsa Katsidzira, 33, a nurse at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare, has practiced as a nurse. Although she finds her job fulfilling, she has always dreamed of a career in midwifery, where she could help pregnant women deliver safely.
Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector has faced significant setbacks over the past decade. Skilled professionals, particularly nurses and midwives, have left the country in search of better working conditions and pay, leaving a critical gap in the healthcare system—especially in midwifery training. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), Zimbabwe loses hundreds of healthcare workers each year in what is often called “skills flight.” This exodus has strained resources and impacted the quality of maternal and newborn care in public health facilities.
Unlike many of her peers who have left the country, Mutsa has chosen to stay. In May 2024, she enrolled in a midwifery program before joining an innovative e-learning training initiative for midwives a few weeks ago. She was excited to deepen her skills and advance her career.
I am so happy to be enrolled in this program,” she shared with a smile. “The training is important because we are able to conduct more research as part of our studies. We also receive standardized information across all midwifery training schools, which is crucial since we will all sit for the same examinations and work alongside nurses from other hospitals.”
The platform was created with support from the United Nations Population Fund in Zimbabwe (UNFPA-Zimbabwe), which helped the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) develop an e-learning platform for pre-service and in-service midwifery training. This program combines digital learning tools with practical assessments to ensure midwives receive comprehensive training, even amid a shortage of trainers.
“Having access to the same information on a unified platform enables us to focus on standard areas of interest,” Mutsa added. “The e-learning program also helps us by allowing us to read and complete assignments at our own pace—whether at home or while traveling—since we can access the website on our mobile phones.”
Mutsa expressed her particular interest in health information systems, which include data capture and monitoring, especially regarding maternal health.
For Mutsa and other trainees, this program is more than just a course—it’s a lifeline for their chosen profession. The program, delivered through online modules and hands-on workshops, covers topics ranging from prenatal care to emergency responses in childbirth. It also prepares nurses for specialization, a pathway that previously was accessible only through in-person training overseas.
The development of the e-learning platform has standardized the curriculum across all nursing and midwifery schools in Zimbabwe, improved students’ access to learning materials via web and mobile platforms, and fostered collaboration among students and tutors.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director, Lydia Zigomo, is currently on a high-level visit to Zimbabwe to observe the work her organization is implementing in partnership with the Zimbabwean government. She visited Sally Mugabe Hospital, where she interacted with trainees, reviewed the e-learning modules, and met with the tutors managing the courses.
“Midwifery remains an essential part of Zimbabwe’s healthcare package. If we are to reduce maternal mortality and ensure that mothers survive childbirth, we must support programs like this,” said Zigomo.
She added that they are also focused on raising the age at which young girls become pregnant, aiming to reduce the rate of teen pregnancies in Zimbabwe. The UNFPA Zimbabwe Country Representative noted that a total of $273,000 was invested in the Moodle e-learning platform for midwifery, as well as laptops, desktops, and visual screens.
“We believe this can make a significant difference, and I am very optimistic about this e-learning module,” she said. “It has the potential to break barriers and ensure consistent training standards in midwifery practice for nursing students across the country. We commend the Ministry of Health for recognizing the positive impact this could have in Zimbabwe.”
Meanwhile, the e-learning midwifery training program is being piloted in six provinces across Zimbabwe, with close to 200 learners enrolled from the participating health facilities. The pilot sites for the e-learning platform include Chinhoyi, Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Karanda, Mpilo, St. Luke’s, and Masvingo Schools of Midwifery.
Mrs. Nyaradzayi Chiwara, Director of Nursing Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, remarked that the e-learning training for midwifery was a progressive step for Zimbabwe’s healthcare sector.
“Our healthcare sector is currently facing high attrition rates, and we believe this e-learning program will help address that gap,” said Mrs. Chiwara. “This platform enables midwives to use the internet for research and to see practices from other countries. It also helps standardize the training since, without e-learning, students might have access to varied materials, but now they will use a single platform.”
She added that the program was essential in empowering midwives, who are the primary providers of antenatal care and delivery services.
“When trained with the latest knowledge, they will know how to manage patients in labor, antenatal care, and post-delivery effectively,” she said.
Zimbabwe currently has 22 schools of midwifery, with plans to increase the number of training institutions by 50% in the coming years. The ministry also aims to double the recruitment of midwives. E-learning will ensure that no one is left behind in midwifery training, bridging the skills gap. Zimbabwe now joins other African countries like Uganda and Ghana in implementing e-learning for midwifery training.
