The Association of Malawian Midwives (Amami) and the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (Nonm) have written Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba over delays in addressing their grievances.
In a letter dated February 25, titled ‘Follow-up Letter Sent to His Excellency the State President of Malawi in Regards to the Sorry State of the Health Care Delivery System and the Welfare of Nurses and Midwives in Malawi’, the two organisations say that their members’ patience is running out.
The letter, jointly signed by Amami President Keith Lipato and Nonm President Shouts Simeza, says it has been over two months since President Lazarus Chakwera referred their concerns to Zamba, but there has been “deafening silence” from her office.
The healthcare workers say they wrote Chakwera on December 9 last year, when they highlighted challenges affecting the health care delivery system and the situation of nurses and midwives in Malawi.
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Chakwera responded by referring the matter to Zamba on December 11.
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“Continued silence from your office is making us believe that the President, through your office, does not care about the health of Malawians, let alone the welfare of nurses and midwives.
“As stated in our earlier letter, let it be known to the President, through your office, that we are now ready to take further action as the pressure from nurses and midwives across Malawi keeps mounting by the second,” the letter reads.
While acknowledging the efforts made to improve fuel availability in the country, the nurses and midwives note that there are other issues they want Zamba to address.
Among other things, they note that public hospitals in Malawi continue to experience shortages in medicine and supplies.
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“This situation is worsening every day. For instance, patients are being sent to buy medicine [s] and Plaster of Paris to manage their fractures at a shop or pharmacy. Pregnant and labouring women are being assisted without essential medicines such as oxytocin and magnesium sulphate.
“Newborn babies are being sent home without the necessary treatment such as Tetracycline Eye Ointment and relevant vaccines. Infection prevention practices are being severely compromised,” the health personnel add.
The two institutions have also lamented what they call the dwindling welfare of nurses and midwives.
“The cost of living has gone up multiple-fold. Nurses and midwives cannot survive on the current meagre salaries. The locum rates of K3,500 and K5,000 for day and night shifts are laughable,” the letter says.
Both Zamba and OPC spokesperson Robert Kalindiza were unavailable for comment Thursday.
