Malawi nurses hit back at Minister Mhango:  ‘If our demands are unrealistic come and work’

Dozens of health workers , who are on strike at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe to protest against working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, including a “critical” shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed to treat patients, have  reacted to remarks made by Minister of Health and Population, Jappie Mhango  that they are making unrealistic demands.

The nurses are complaining about poor work conditions, being overworked and lacking safety equipment to protect them against coronavirus.
Nurses at Kamuzu Central Hospital carried carrying placards with slogans like these

Mhango made the remarks this week in Lilongwe when he toured an isolation centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) as he was being briefed about the challenges managers are facing.

“Our economy is not resilient enough to accommodate hefty demands and my appeal to them is to always be reasonable in their demands,” said Mhango.

He said the essence of one being a doctor is to continue practicing and not collapsing the whole system because of the coronavirus.

But during the sit-in strike on Monday the nurses  carried their messages on placards.

“If our demands are unrealistic come and work,” reads one placard.

Another  placard had  slogan such : if you think we are unrealistic come and hear us out.”

Malawi has, so far, 17 confirmed cases of coronavirus, mostly from individuals who arrived in the country from abroad. Two deaths associated with COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, have been registered to date.

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Ack Tambala
Ack Tambala
3 years ago

The money the Nurses are asking for is not unreasonable . When dealing with Covid- 19 patients they will be putting their lives at risk as the Corona virus is highly contagious. Rather than criticising these brave nurses we should respect and support them.

Citizen Number 1
Citizen Number 1
3 years ago

Iwe Mulopwana, nanga ndi chifukwa chiyani iwnwo amalandira K300,000 per day for playing phada in parliament? Mayankhulidwe ako asonyeza kale where you belong and what you do. Nurses are not makasu olimira ena n’kumadya. Ndiwe mlomwe wopanda phindu!

nyopani
nyopani
3 years ago

Ma nurse inu musadzafe mudzangosowaaaa. Mukundimvetsa kukoooooooooooomaaaaaaaaa kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. Fight for your own freedom. Good approach and well organised. Zitsiruzi ziphunzitseni.!!!!!!!

Mulopwana
Mulopwana
3 years ago

The demands are indeed unrealistic . what government has offered ma Nurse and other health workers is reasonable. Tell me how many COVID 19 patients have they handled so far out of the 17 confirmed cases? Kungofuna podyera ma Nurse. Infact after COVID 19 cases allowance imeneyo izachotsedwepo ibwlelere ku K1,800 per month . Malawian Nurses are too lazy to demand such an allowance. They are careless and rude as if anachitidwa kutumidwa kukayamba za u nurse zo

Munthu
Munthu
3 years ago

It’s unfortunate that some of you talk nonsense on demands of nurses and doctors. Firing them as suggested by John Gufa will cost alot of millions to pay them and alot more millions to employ others. Do you really feel it’s good to risk life at a price of mk60 per day??? We should feel sorry for the nurses and doctors. Govt was sleeping

The SNIPER
The SNIPER
3 years ago

No men! They are not. Do you know what they pass through at work? All what they have asked my friend is because they know whom they are dealing with, you know who? Crooks, thieves, agulugunyinda, anyapapi, Mbanva., Atsizina mtole. Priests of thieves. Arm robbers. Terrorists, Rebels.
Full scale Baba, we are smashing them!

The SNIPER
The SNIPER
3 years ago

Some comments against what our Nurses has asked I think they are out of jealousy, do you know how much your so called Minister is getting just after announcing the death of a person and or just to tell you something similar to Covid19? Give these Nurses money please, after all the money they are asking is not from Government pocket. Our Government can not pay these Doctors and Nurses because the money we have is for building Stadiums not for Covid19, Our Doctors should be given money, they are also risking their lives, they have kids, family and they… Read more »

Agenda Setting Theory
Agenda Setting Theory
3 years ago

Most nurses are just rude and evil. now they are just taking advantage of COVID19, but I have no respect for most of these people who call themselves nurses. The lookdown upon patients especially people from the rural areas.

The SNIPER
The SNIPER
3 years ago

No men, they are not rude, you don’t know how risk this job of Doctors and Nurses this time. I think I understand them so much, their demand is just ok, I can tell you that these guys they are clever because they know whom they are dealing with, you know whom they are dealing with? Crooks, Corrupt Team, anyapapi,agulugunyinda, atsizinamtole, thieves, a Galangande, a Fisi, Liars, the list goes on and on! If the Government has been honesty to its citizens, these guys couldn’t do this. But the Government just from the start, it has never be honest to… Read more »

Appeasement Court
3 years ago

No wonder most nurses are single. Munthu mpakana kukalamba banja osalipeza. Too much mwano ma nurse.

ERUTU
ERUTU
3 years ago

Maganizo am’mbuyo onga katundu wangumba phweeeeeeee 🦆

Y R U sostupid!
3 years ago

Just stone him next time he comes around. To say nonsense.

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