Health workers rebuff govt, stick to strike

Healthcare workers have rebuffed government move to offer an undisclosed per centage of thei r allowances, saying they have not changed their plans to stage a sit-in from today.

In a letter dated June 7 2024 signed by Department of Human Resource Management and Development Principal Secretary Ian Chingwalu, the government acknowledged receipt of the request by healthcare workers for an upward adjustment in their risk allowance, top up allowance and professional allowance.

He said authorities have embarked on addressing the request.

Reads the letter: “I am delighted to inform you that the government has committed to review top-up allowance and professional allowance which shall be implemented following parliamentary approval in line with the constitutional requirements.”

The letter further indicates that government has promoted 191 nurses and will also conduct promotional interviews

for 138 nurses.

“The ministry has also received K200 million which will be used to recruit one hundred [100] various cadres of health workers. The process of recruiting a further one hundred and fifty-eight [158] health workers is at an advanced stage,” it reads.

But Physicians Assistants Union of Malawi president Solomon Chomba in an interview said the health workers have not changed their plans on the sit-in.

However, he acknowledged that government gave written feedback but the health workers were yet to discuss it by the time of the interview.

“We are meeting tonight [last night] for a discussion on the letter,” he said.

Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) executive secretary Habiba Osman, who is a conciliator in the talks, said failure by government to include the amounts being offered, has made leaders of the health workers to be uncomfortable with the counter offer.

She said: “The indication is that there is an upward adjustment in the professional and risk allowances, but government did not indicate how much. It seems government was being tactical because this is a counter offer.”

However, Osman said she was optimistic that something will come out of the negotiations, saying it has been a long process that cannot just be dumped at the eleventh hour.

Besides agreeing to implement a 15 percent salary increment, the government committed to increase several allowances, including locum rates, risk or medical allowance, government top-up and professional allowance.

The document, signed by Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Sam Mndolo, Osman, Nonm president Shouts Simeza and Chomba, indicates that the proposed monthly professional allowance has jumped to K30 000 from K1 800 for juniors and K2 800 for seniors.

For the government top-up allowance, junior health workers at Grade M could get K70 000 from K20 000 while the highest at 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.

Between grades G and M, workers at central hospitals could start receiving locum rates of K40 000 for day service and K60 000 for night service.

On the other hand, workers at district hospitals may rake in K30 000 for day service and K50 000 for night work.

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