Zomba Central Hospital workers have given the Ministry of Health a 10-day ultimatum to remove four management members from the health facility.
In a letter dated June 12 2012, the staff cite mismanagement and poor staff welfare, among others, as reasons for their demand.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Henry Chimbali on Tuesday confirmed that authorities received the letter and that they will engage both sides to resolve their differences.
“We have received the letter of complaint and we have responded to them on the need to engage them and discuss the issues presented to us.
“We will soon be meeting with the management of Zomba Central Hospital and a group of the concerned health workers. We receive these kind of letters, but not as frequent but when we receive a letter like this, we believe there is intent to engage and that is what we will do,†said Chimbali.
The health workers want hospital director, chief nursing officer, chief hospital administrator and a human resource officer to be removed.
“We are hereby requesting for change of the management team of Zomba Central Hospital, which includes the hospital director, the chief hospital administrator, the chief nursing officer and the human resource officer,” reads the letter in part.
“We are giving you 10 solid days starting from today 12th June 2012. If there will be no action taken, then the staff will act accordingly,” it adds.
The employees claim that they are being overworked after maid and patient attendants were moved to Zomba District Health Office (DHO), thereby creating shortage of staff at the hospital.
In an interview on Monday, chief hospital administrator Matthew Mataka said the employees are entitled to their opinion.
“That is what happens in a group of people even in a family. Let them prove what they have written in their letter. I cannot say anything on matters raised which is their point of view,” said Mataka.
Zomba Central Hospital has been in the limelight following revelations that apart from drugs, the facility was also lacking equipment such as power generator, portable oxygen cylinders, trolleys, vacuum extractors, BP machines, delivery packs, episiotomy packs and scissors.
