Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Times News
Published on 2024-03-08 07:37:25
Recruitments for various positions within the Ministry of Health (MoH) have recently come under scrutiny due to allegations of corruption and nepotism. Concerned Malawians and unemployed nurses and midwives have raised their voices against what they see as unfair practices in the recruitment processes.
The positions in question include nurses, disease control, surveillance, and health assistants (DCSA), and health attendants. It has been reported that some participants in the recruitment interviews were asked to write exams that were not relevant to their field, such as NMT exams instead of the agreed exams for nurses. This discrepancy has raised suspicions about the fairness of the selection process.
In one complaint seen by The Daily Times, a group of graduates wrote to the Director of Recruitment at MoH to highlight the anomalies observed during the recent recruitment interviews. They pointed out that some participants were already employed in government or Christian Health Association of Malawi systems, while others were unqualified and unlicensed by the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi. This raises concerns about the potential exclusion of deserving unemployed nurses and midwives from job opportunities.
Another complaint from a group representing individuals from all 28 districts of Malawi was sent to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma. They raised concerns about the selection of health surveillance assistants, alleging that some candidates who were not shortlisted for interviews were eventually selected. The group urged the ACB to investigate whether corruption played a role in the selection process.
Additionally, a group identifying themselves as Mchinji Youths also raised complaints about the hiring process at Mchinji District Council. They expressed dissatisfaction with the procedures that led to the employment of certain individuals and called for transparency and fairness in the recruitment process.
Despite these complaints, MoH Principal Secretary Samson Mndolo and the ministry’s spokesperson, Adrian Chikumbe, have maintained that the ministry is not directly involved in the recruitment process. Mndolo clarified that while MoH provided the funds for recruitment, the actual hiring process was decentralized to the district councils.
Chikumbe acknowledged the concerns raised by some individuals who were not shortlisted for interviews despite meeting the qualifications. He emphasized that the ministry has not received any formal reports of irregularities in the recruitment process but encouraged anyone with evidence of misconduct to come forward so that appropriate action can be taken.
It is important to note that the government remains the largest employer in Malawi, and ensuring transparency and fairness in recruitment processes is crucial for upholding public trust and promoting equality of opportunity for all individuals seeking employment within the public sector. The allegations of corruption and nepotism in MoH recruitments highlight the importance of maintaining accountability and integrity in the recruitment process to ensure that qualified and deserving candidates are given equal opportunities for employment.
Read the original article on The Times
