Govt, health staff face off

Three healthcare workers’ groups have threatened to mobilise a nationwide strike over government’s alleged “dishonesty” and failure to fulfil its commitment to increase allowances for their members.

Three organisations—the Society of Medical Doctors (SMD), National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives in Malawi (Nonm) and Physician Assistants Union of Malawi (Paum)—gave government deadline of April 12 2024 to implement the reviewed allowances.

However, Secretary for Health Dr. Samson Mndolo wrote the groups through Conciliator Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) that he was yet to get a response from Treasury on the matter and that feedback would be provided by April 26 2024.

But the three groups have said they are not amused by the delays, and “will draw labour withdrawal plans on April 27” in case of unsatisfactory response.

Besides agreeing to implement a 15 percent salary increment, government committed to increasing several allowances, including locum rates, risk or medical allowance, government top-up and professional allowance whose payments would be backdated to November 1 2023.

In a joint response to Mndolo through MHRC executive secretary Habiba Osman on April 17, Nonm President Shouts Simeza and his Paum counterpart Solomon David Chomba said the response from the Secretary to the Treasury (ST) will determine their next course of action.

Reads the letter in part: “Nonm and Paum remain optimistic about the positivity of the conciliatory process, especially since the adjustment of the health sector-specific allowances formed the basis and the condition of the health workforces’ acceptance of the 15 percent salary adjustment that the government effected for the civil service.”

In an interview yesterday, Chomba said they felt betrayed that government was playing hide and seek on the matter, having earlier set April 12  as the deadline to resolve the issue.

He said: “There has been slowness in fulfilling the commitment and that is why we wanted to down tools on April 15. The Secretary for Health provided feedback on April 12, but it is not conclusive, there is no proper response because all they are saying is that they were waiting for the Secretary to the Treasury to give final determination.”

Chomba said they are consulting their legal team on the matter, especially in case of unsatisfactory response by April 26.

“Our membership is angry with these delays, but we have asked for patience, which can only go up to April 26.

“If government does not respond in line with their commitment, we will issue notifications of the next course of action. This should signal to the ST that we have been patient enough and expect feedback in line with what we signed, otherwise, expect unprecedented action after that day,” he warned.

On his part, Simeza said they agreed with Paum to draw a labour withdrawal plan after April 26.

He said: “If there is no response then by the 26th, it means they don’t value us. We have exhausted all negotiations and we will act after the 26th. We will draw a labour withdrawal plan.”

SMD president Victor Mithi said they were particularly not happy with the “dishonesty” on the part of government.

He said: “In the near future, we would want to follow up together with Nonm and Paum with the Ministry of Health to fast-track implementation of the commitment.”

The conciliator, Osman, said there are deadlines up to August for all issues to be fulfilled.

“There are other things that the Secretary for Health has fulfilled, and we have deadlines up to August. Some deadlines have passed, and we will have to see whether the issues for those deadlines have been implemented or not,” she said.

ST Betchani Tchereni yesterday said the matter is still under consideration.

He said: “As it involves consulting a number of stakeholders, it turns out that it is not a straight-forward matter.”

The February 13 agreement document—signed by Mndolo, Osman, Simeza and Chomba—indicates that the proposed monthly professional allowance will jump to K30 000 from K1 800 for juniors and K2 800 for seniors.

For the government top-up allowance, junior health workers in Grade M could get K70 000 from K20 000 while the highest in Grade C might walk away with K710 400.

On the risk or medical allowance, grades M to I will receive K150 000 from K50 000 with the highest, Grade C, getting the lowest risk allowance of K60 000.

Minus the locum rates, this means an assistant medical officer in Grade L could pocket K250 000 monthly in risk, government top up and professional allowances.