The Avenues Clinic has celebrated another milestone in specialist healthcare education, honouring nurses who completed intensive care and operating theatre training during its 38th graduation ceremony held at Celebration Centre in Harare on Friday.
The ceremony, was attended by the Guest of Honour, Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Douglas Mombeshora.
The graduating class comprised 38 nurses, including 19 intensive care nurses and 19 operating theatre nurses drawn from public, private, district and mission hospitals across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Mombeshora commended The Avenues Clinic for its longstanding investment in specialist nursing education, noting that the institution began intensive care nursing training in 1998 before introducing operating theatre nursing in 1999.
He also welcomed the introduction of oncology and palliative care nursing programmes, describing the institution’s contribution as important to strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce.
“As a ministry, our vision for nursing education goes beyond simply increasing the number of nurses we produce. We must develop a competent, ethical, adaptable and patient-centred workforce, equipped to respond to the changing health needs of our population,” he said.
The Minister stressed that nurses and midwives remained central to healthcare delivery, calling for deliberate investment in their training, professional development and specialisation.
He said Zimbabwe needed more specialist nurses capable of supporting complex surgical procedures, managing critically ill patients, guiding cancer patients through treatment and providing compassionate palliative care.
Dr Mombeshora also highlighted the importance of collaboration between government and private healthcare institutions, saying the expansion of nursing education required participation from all sectors.
He welcomed The Avenues Clinic’s interest in introducing general nursing diploma training, indicating that government was prepared to support the initiative, subject to the necessary evaluations and regulatory requirements.
“In short, we are saying move forward and we will support you. However, this must be properly structured and informed by evidence,” he said.
He further encouraged graduates to uphold professional ethics, compassion and respect for human dignity, reminding them that their qualifications came with significant responsibilities towards patients and communities.
Delivering her remarks the clinic’s Managing Director Sibusisiwe Ndhlovu said the graduation represented the conclusion of an intensive academic journey and the beginning of new professional responsibilities.
She highlighted the institution’s history in nursing education, revealing that it had maintained its specialist training programmes for decades while expanding into oncology and palliative care.
Ndhlovu said the introduction of the new programmes responded to the growing need for specialised healthcare professionals, particularly amid increasing cancer cases in the country.
“This is a recognition of our need for specialists in this area, particularly as we see that cancer cases continue to grow in the country. We need to build the capacity of nurses to be able to help our citizens,” she said.
She also revealed that The Avenues Clinic invested approximately US$200 000 annually towards sustaining its nursing education programmes, beyond the tuition contributions received from students.
Ndhlovu urged graduates to combine professional competence with compassion and humanity, emphasising the importance of maintaining the human touch in patient care.
“My advice to you is that never lose that human touch. As Florence Nightingale said, let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all our lives,” she said.
Presenting the academic report, Principal Tutor Matron Sophia S. Paso said the graduation marked the institution’s 38th ceremony since the nursing school opened its doors.
She traced the school’s development to 1998, when intensive care nursing training began, followed by operating theatre nursing in 1999.
Paso said the institution had produced more than 500 intensive care nurses and over 62 operating theatre nurses since its establishment.
She reported that the 38 graduates represented different training cohorts, with several groups achieving 100 percent pass rates in their State Final Examinations.
The February 2025 intensive care nursing cohort initially recorded a 68.7 percent pass rate, prompting an assessment of the challenges encountered and the implementation of corrective measures.
All five candidates who initially failed subsequently passed their June supplementary examinations.
Paso described the experience as an important lesson in perseverance, dedication and continuous academic assessment.
The ceremony also recognised outstanding academic performance, with Moses Mudeya from Milton Park Medical Centre, Juliet Mashore from CIMAS, Imbayarwo Nyasha from Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and Nozipho Ncube from Howard Mission Hospital among students who received accolades.
The school also reported that 18 students enrolled in May 2025 were undergoing training in operating theatre and palliative care nursing.
Mombeshora said the government’s broader vision for nursing education was anchored in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 2, supported by the Health Workforce Strategy.
He urged the graduates to remain lifelong learners, mentor others and contribute towards strengthening the national healthcare system.
“Every patient deserves quality care and dignity regardless of their background and circumstances,” he said.
The graduation ceremony reaffirmed Avenues Clinic’s role in developing specialist nursing skills through partnerships with healthcare institutions across Zimbabwe, including public, private and mission hospitals.
