Malawi government recruit 755 health workers: Other interviews in District Councils from April 22

Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Dan Namarika  has said in compliance to the Presidential Declaration to recruit 2000 health workers in response to the global coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the ministry has hired  755 workers including laboratory technicians and nurses.

President Peter Mutharika  directed the Ministry of Health to employ 2 000 health workers to cope with the Covid-19 outbreak.

In a statement made available to Nyasa Times, Namarika said as part of the continuation of the recruitment process, interviews will be conducted in all the District Councils by the Health Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission from 22nd April, 2020 for posts including senior medical officers, nurses, biomedical engineer and clinical officers  considering the staffing demands in the country’s public health facilities.

Namarika said candidates in possession of “relevant health qualifications” are invited to attend the interviews at their respective District Councils.

“They will be required to bring their original academic and professional certificates, Regulatory Body Licensures and National Identification Cards,” he said.

“Those who were already recruited by Government and Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) need not to come for these interviews,” added Namarika.

There is only one doctor for every 50,000 Malawian individuals, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Some 85 percent of the population lives in rural areas, some of which are slums.

The President warned “if [we are] not careful, Malawi could lose up to 50,000 lives from COVID-19 [the disease caused by the new coronavirus].”

Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director George Jobe welcomed the President’s directive to employ 2 000 health workers.

The President directed the Ministry of Health to recruit 2 000 health workers to assist in the fight of the pandemic.

“We need more soldiers and human power in this fight,” he said.

Mutharika declared a state of emergency on March 23 to combat the virus.There is no lockdown but schools are closed and the government says it is urging people to work from home and follow hand-washing and social-distancing guidelines.

All social gatherings have been banned.