Zimbabwe Cracks Down on Bogus Nursing Applicants Using Forged ZIMSEC Results

Health Ministry Moves to End Fake Certificate Scandals in Nursing Schools

In response to growing concerns over fraudulent qualifications in the health sector, the Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched a comprehensive verification process for all applicants to nursing and medical training institutions.

The new measures come in the wake of a recent scandal at Mpilo Central Hospital, where a trainee nurse was caught using forged examination results.

Also Read: Another Mpilo Student Nurse Arrested Over Forged ZIMSEC Certificate

Ziyambi Confirms Stricter Vetting Through ZIMSEC

According to Cite, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told senators this week that the Health Ministry is now cross-checking all student nurse applications with the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) before admission.

“The Minister of Health and Child Care is now vetting through ZIMSEC and they have tasked ZIMSEC to confirm whether the papers are genuine. This is the path we are taking because we have seen that a lot of people are conning the ministry through the system,” said Ziyambi

Senator Raises Alarm Over Public Safety

Manicaland Senator Maxwell Mdhluri voiced concern over the rise in fake qualifications, warning that unqualified personnel in health institutions could endanger lives and misuse public funds.

“These culprits are putting people’s health at risk and obtaining resources from government through receiving salaries without deserving,” he said.

He urged the Government to strengthen its recruitment systems to ensure only properly qualified candidates enter the country’s health training programmes.

Mpilo Student Nurse Arrested for Using Forged Results

The heightened scrutiny follows the arrest of 23-year-old Thelma Gurupira of Mbare, Harare, who is accused of using a forged ZIMSEC certificate to gain entry into the Mpilo School of Nursing.

Prosecutor Sibusisiwe Sithole told the court that Gurupira submitted the fake certificate in 2017, claiming six Ordinary Level passes she did not actually possess.

Based on the falsified results, she was enrolled in 2022 for a three-year nursing programme.