Ministry to recruit 5 800 health workers

The Ministry of Health plans to recruit more than 5 800 health workers to be posted in various health facilities across the country.

Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda confirmed in an interview yesterday that the move aims to ease health workers’ workload while providing employment to qualified ones.

She said her ministry and the Global Fund reached an agreement to recruit medical doctors, nurses, clinicians, radiologists and health surveillance assistants (HSAs).

“That is what we are trying to do; bridge the gap that has been there in health facilities across the country,” said Kandodo Chiponda.

According to vacancy announcements which Nation on Sunday has seen, the ministry wants to recruit 2 436 HSAs, 1 000 nurses and midwives and several other healthcare professionals with diplomas and degrees.

 The ministry, in collaboration with the Government Health Service Commission and the Local Government Commission, will conduct walk-in interviews for some positions and has invited applications for other positions, including HSAs.

Unemployed Nurses and Midwives in Malawi chairperson Frank Kamwendo has expressed excitement with the government’s decision to employ over 2 000 professionals from his group, but noted that more jobs are still needed.

In an interview, he said over 8 000 members of his group remain unemployed and are looking for jobs.

Kamwendo said: “We appreciate the ministry’s efforts. This is a good development, but there are many of us who are still unemployed.

“However, we should appreciate that we are moving in the right direction, but we need to do more.”

Malawi has long faced a shortage of healthcare workers.

The National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) has been advocating for the government to recruit its members who have completed their studies but remain jobless.

 NONM has also highlighted high vacancy rates in government health facilities across the country which has negatively impacted service delivery.