THE Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH) says its nursing assistant training programme is approved by government agencies, in response to a public notice by the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) where it flagged its programmes.
In a statement, HIPH emphasised that its nursing assistants training programme is approved and examined by the Higher Examination Council (Hexco), operating under the Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development ministry.
The institute said the qualification fell outside the statutory scope of the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe, before expressing concern that the notice may have inadvertently caused confusion among stakeholders.
HIPH assistant registrar Retlaw Matorwa emphasised that the institute fully complies with government regulatory frameworks and reiterated its dedication to maintaining high standards in health education to support Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.
Matorwa reaffirmed HIPH’s respect for the council’s regulatory role while advocating for constructive dialogue to prevent future miscommunication.
“We have consistently welcomed collaboration with the Nurses Council and other health education stakeholders,” he said.
“Our discussions focused on establishing clear pathways for Hexco-qualified nursing assistants to gain recognition at the primary healthcare level, enhancing their employment prospects in government health facilities — the largest employer of healthcare professionals.”
Matorwa also highlighted the institute’s previous engagement with NCZ since 2019, including two council visits to discuss aligning the nursing assistants programme with the Primary Care Nursing qualification.
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“As an institution committed to transparency and excellence, we believe collaboration between regulators and educators is vital to advancing public health education,” the HIPH assistant registrar added.
The institute remains open to further engagement, seeking an amicable and professional resolution to the matter, Matorwa said.
In a notice, NCZ said it had no “regulatory connection with the HIPH regarding the training of nurses”.
