Medical Staff Attrition in Local Authorities: Experiences from Harare City Council Maternity Clinics (2007-2008)

Abstract

The years 2007 and 2008 are of special reckoned in the history of Zimbabwe as the economy plunged into a meltdown and professionalism suddenly became an irrelevant status. Institutions in the public sector struggled for relevance as they frantically sought to retain skilled and qualified medical personnel. The maternity service delivery system in local authorities could not escape from the crisis hence the study sought to explore the degree of staff attrition in the sector, major causes, effects and measures of reducing staff attrition. The study involved the collection and analysis of data from 12 council clinics providing maternity services for the period 2007 – 2008. The authors argue that, the state of the economy has got a strong bearing on the level of staff attrition in organisations. Since medical staff are skilled professionals they can easily leave for greener “pastures” hence the need for Councils to improve working conditions.