HARARE, Dec 3 (AFP) - The shortage of health workers in Zimbabwe's government hospitals has reached alarming levels, the ruling ZANU-PF party heard Friday.

According to a report presented to a party congress, vacancies for all professional health workers had increased drastically over the last five years impacting "negatively on the health of the population and the functioning of the health system".

Only 27.1 percent of the dentists required in public hospitals were in place and only 45 percent of medical doctors. There were also only nine percent of the pharmacists needed.

At least 1,530 doctors are needed but only 687 are working at state institutions, while 6,940 nurses are in place out of a required 11,640.

Zimbabwe's health sector has seen a mass exodus of workers in recent years due to poor working conditions in hospitals and low salaries.

Many have sought greener pastures in neighbouring countries or overseas, escaping the deteriorating systems back home, or have gone into private practice.

The AIDS pandemic which has led to a hospital bed occupancy rate of 70 percent, has stretched the workload and led to overcrowded facilities.

Lack of drugs and poorly maintained equipment have added to the frustration of the workers.

The report said there had been a rapid decline in life expectancy in Zimbabwe from 62 years in 1988 to about 40 years.

An estimated 25 percent of Zimbabwe's sexually active population is infected by HIV and AIDS. Around 3,000 people die every week from AIDS-related illnesses.

HIV and AIDs coupled with an economic crisis and drought, have resulted in increasing levels of malnutrition.

"The 2003 nutrition survey revealed severe acute malnutrition in 15 districts or 25 percent of the districts," said the report read to thousands of delegates by Defence Minister Sidney Sekeramayi.

Deaths among pregnant women have risen over the last five years from 283 per 100,000 to 697 per 100,000.

The incidence of malaria has nearly doubled in the 10 years between 1990 and 2000.

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