Malawi angers US over failure to recruit dieticians

United States of America is seeking answers from the government on why five dieticians whose education was funded by the US to help combat malnutrition are not yet employed a year after they graduated.

Sources say officials at the US embassy in Lilongwe are not amused that good gesture to help combat malnutrition among children in the country which hovers around 12 per cent.

“There is a silent diplomatic row between the two countries,” said our source.

Statistics show that 37 per cent of the children in the country are stunted.

The dieticians were from  Lilongwe University of Agriculture Natural Resourcesand College of Medicine with full funding from the US.

One of the dieticians said it is sad that they have just been home for a year because of bureaucracy in government.

“When we go to ask about our employment, they tell us that we should wait because they are creating our department in the ministry of Health, it is almost a year now,” said one of the dieticians.

He said last time he checked with the ministry, he was told the Ministry of Health wants to get clearance from Treasury first before they are employed.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Joshua Malango said the dieticians will be employed soon, saying the process of their recruitment is almost over.