By Brenda Kayo:
The Ministry of Health has recruited and promoted at least 2,441 new health workers to be deployed to central and district hospitals across the country.
In a statement released by the ministry, Principal Secretary for Health Samson Mndolo said the successful candidates were selected from the recent walk-in interviews that were held across the country.
The newly recruited health workers include senior medical officers, biomedical engineers, nursing and midwifery, environmental officers, clinicians, pharmacists, among others.
National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives President Shouts Simeza has since welcomed the ministry’s efforts in beefing up health personnel.
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However, Simeza expressed concern over the promotion process, alleging that the ministry has overlooked long-serving health workers.
“While we are pleased with the recruitment drive, we are worried that the ministry has not done enough to promote staff who have been in service for a long time,” Simeza said.
Health rights advocate Maziko Matemba has also commended the recent recruitment drive and promotion of health workers
Matemba said, for a long time, the Ministry of Health had been criticised by various health worker professional bodies, including civil society organisations, for not considering all health workers equally in promotions and recruitment.
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Matemba has urged the ministry to sustain the momentum, making it a standard practice to recruit and promote health workers regularly.
He also called on local councils and health commissions to submit annual recruitment and promotion plans that take into account the needs of all health worker cadres.
“This move is expected to boost the health sector, which has been advocating for a more equitable distribution of opportunities for health workers,” Matemba said.
