Malawi health unions threaten national strike within 14 days
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Nyasa Times
Malawi’s coalition of health unions and professional groups has given the government 14 days to address staff shortages, unpaid allowances and deteriorating hospitals, or face a national strike. Its president, Solomon David Chomba, announced the ultimatum after an emergency meeting in Lilongwe, according to Nyasa Times.
The Human Resource for Health Coalition, which brings together ten health unions and professional organisations in Malawi, has given the government 14 days to address staff shortages, unpaid allowances and deteriorating hospitals, or face a national strike. Its president, Solomon David Chomba, announced the ultimatum after an emergency summit in Lilongwe, according to Nyasa Times.
The coalition says vacancies stand at 54% for nurses and midwives, while about 6,000 qualified professionals are unemployed. The rate exceeds 75% among clinicians, with around 5,500 trained people not recruited, and stands at 60% in pharmaceutical services. The group is calling for more than 14,400 health professionals to be hired.
The unions also denounce power cuts, irregular water supplies, shortages of essential medicines and a lack of fuel affecting ambulances. They are calling for outstanding allowances to be paid and for an independent review of promotions, which they consider unfair. The coalition also criticises the use of foreign contractors to maintain equipment funded by the Global Fund, saying local biomedical engineers are being excluded.
The ultimatum comes after President Peter Mutharika postponed Parliament to fund the response to El Niño and fuel supply difficulties, a decision reported on 27 October in the postponement of Malawi’s Parliament.
