Pressure is mounting on authorities to promote about 4 390 clinicians working in various capacities nationwide to correspond with their upgraded qualifications.
Physician Assistants Union of Malawi (Paum) president Solomon Chomba said in an interview yesterday that the number of workers deserving promotions could be more with some staying in service for 11 to 18 years without a rise in rank.
He said their records show that 53.9 percent of the workers have not had any promotion attempt while 46.1 percent have had a chance, but were unsuccessful.
The cadres include medical assistants, clinical technicians, clinical officers, clinical associates, dental therapists, medical technicians, laboratory assistants, laboratory technicians and dermatology officers.
Chomba said medical assistants deserving Grade HK were still in Grade HL while diploma clinical officers who should have risen to either Grade HJ or HI were stuck in Grade HK. On the other hand, clinical officers with a bachelor’s degree were still in Grades L and K when they should have been promoted to Grades I and H, he added.
Said Chomba: “All clinicians who upgraded and have higher qualifications obtained through self or government-sponsored training should be promoted to their relevant grades.
“All clinicians who have been [denied] their right to promotion after working on the same grade for over four years as provided for in Malawi Public Service Regulations should be promoted.”
Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the matter was the responsibility of Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture as per the Decentralisation Policy.
When contacted, Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture spokesperson Anjoya Mwanza referred the matter to Local Government Service Commission (Lascom).
However, Lascom executive secretary Edward Talota said matters of promotions fall under local councils.
He said: “This question can ably be responded to by district councils themselves because as a commission, we only receive submissions from councils basing on their prioritised posts.”
Meanwhile, Mzimba South District Hospital clinicians have written to Mzimba district commissioner Rodney Simwaka demanding promotions, failing which they will launch a sit-in today.
They argue that promotions were not happening, yet funding for the upgrades of healthcare workers was allocated.
In the 2024/25 National Budget, M’mbelwa District Council was allocated K17 million for the promotions, according to Paum.
The clinicians under Mmbelwa District Council, in their letter dated February 11 2025, claimed that several engagements with the council had proven futile.
