BEITBRIDGE – Some 260 Zimbabweans apply daily for TB tests that could see them leave Zimbabwe for the UK, a consultant with the International Organisation for Migration has said.
Tapiwa Mucheri said this during a stakeholders meeting for the evaluation and needs assessment of the Beitbridge Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) located in the high density suburb of Mashakada recently.
The meeting established that Beitbridge MRC does not meet standards and this is made worse by the volumes of migrants who now needs to pass through it.
“Migration is rising at an alarming rate in Zimbabwe. We hear of figures that range from 200 to 260 applicants per day for people trying to get TB tests so that they are cleared to go and work in the UK as nurses or in the medical fraternity,” said Mucheri.
He said what should be more alarming is that most of the people applying to go and work in the medical field are people from different professions like lawyers who want to switch careers.
“It is incumbent upon us as a country to come up with strategies to empower our people and ensure that the country benefits from its heavy investment in human skills. Setting up an information hub, a migrant resource centre is one of the initiatives we are undertaking to empower and protect our migrants,” he added.
Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Chief Director Cliford Matorera said the provision of information for the benefit and protection of citizens who migrate to other countries for various reasons including employment, education and medical assistance is one of the pillars of the labour migration policy of 2019.
He added that plans are to establish four Migrant Resource Centres countrywide and these will be situated in Harare, Bulawayo, Beitbridge and Plumtree. – Masvingo Mirror
