Zimbabwe Proposes Breathalyser Tests for Doctors & Nurses

Zimbabwe Proposes Breathalyser Tests for Doctors & Nurses – More than 100 medical practitioners in Zimbabwe are reportedly battling drug and alcohol-related challenges, prompting authorities to consider introducing breathalyser tests and substance screening within the health sector.

Officials say the proposed measures are part of a broader plan by the Health Service Commission (HSC) to strengthen oversight and ensure that healthcare workers are mentally fit while attending to patients.

According to HSC Secretary Dr Christopher Pasi, the commission is now focusing on prevention rather than relying solely on disciplinary action against affected staff.

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“The issue of, for example, substance testing or breathalysers, which occur in other industries such as complex manufacturing or mining, is an issue that we need to look at,” said Dr Pasi.

“How can we encompass that within our own regulation so that this issue of substance abuse is not only a danger to the person themselves but to the patient that is being managed?”

Dr Pasi made the remarks during a stakeholder consultative meeting held at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Tuesday.

Authorities say the initiative will see the HSC working closely with the Health Professions Authority (HPA) to come up with standardised regulations across the country’s eight health councils. The framework is also expected to include training for supervisors to identify early warning signs of substance abuse, as well as the establishment of confidential peer-reporting systems.

Health officials say the demanding nature of the medical profession is contributing to the challenge.

“We need all our health workforce to be of sound mind when they are managing our patients,” said Dr Pasi, noting that long working hours, stressful working environments and easy access to controlled substances are among the key factors driving the problem.

He added that losing trained professionals due to addiction would be a major setback for the country.

“The health service, in particular the professional cadres, is an expensive workforce for us in terms of training, in terms of the time that they take and the resources,” he said.

“It is better to have a preventive approach towards the management of these issues.”

Meanwhile, HPA Secretary-General Clotilda Chimbwanda welcomed the move, saying there is a need for coordinated action across all regulatory bodies.

“We do have a challenge of drug and substance abuse that is ongoing and we commend the efforts that have been taken up by the Health Service Commission to come up with a coordinated approach,” she said.

“In terms of the extent of the problem, yes, definitely it is there. There have been reports across all the councils of substance abuse and the councils are dealing with them in different ways.”

She said the new initiative would help create uniform procedures for handling such cases.

“But one of the key issues is to now come up with something standardised, which is what we are here for today, with the Health Service Commission facilitating,” Mrs Chimbwanda said.