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Ministry assures medical students of employment

Ministry of Health (MoH) has assured medical students of employment despite a hiring freeze in the civil service following economic hardships facing the country.

MoH Principal Secretary Macphail Magwira made the assurance when he presided over the graduation ceremony for 116 nurses from Mulanje Mission Nursing School on Saturday.

To wait in the wings: Some of the newly graduated nurses pictured during their recent graduation ceremony
To wait in the wings: Some of the newly graduated nurses

In the 2016/17 National Budget, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe announced that government has set aside K700 million for recruitment of about 1 622 medical personnel of which 1 222 would be supported by The Global Fund to the tune of $1.8 million  while 400 others will be supported by the government of the United States of America in salaries for about three years, respectively.

Without giving a specific breakdown of the number of doctors, clinicians, nurses or midwives to be recruited, Magwira said in under three weeks’ time his ministry will advertise vacancies in the local media inviting applications from qualified medical personnel.

The assurance comes against a background of MoH failing to offer internship to 124 doctors due to lack of funds.

Head of station for Mulanje Mission, the Reverend Billy Gama, challenged the graduates to be innovative and venture into entrepreneurship to counter the challenge of unemployment in the country

Out of the 116 graduates, 86 are expected to work in their respective communities as community midwifery assistants, replacing the traditional birth attendants.magwira_graduation_nurses

The training of the 86 was supported academically by the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) through payment of tuition fees at K615 800 per annum per student, learning materials and infrastructure for a period of four years in a bid to reduce maternal and child mortality in the country.

The theme for the 2016 graduation ceremony was Nurses and Midwives: The Heartbeat of Malawi’s Healthcare Service System. n

 

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One Comment

  1. Thanks to Global Fund and US Government for standing up for Malawian health professionals.

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