The Ministry of Health says walk-in interviews for health care workers will take place from this morning as scheduled.
The development follows discussions between government officials and lawyers for aggrieved serving health care workers who had obtained an interim order stopping the exercise.
Dr. Samson Mndolo, Secretary for Health, confirmed the development in a press statement dated January 17, 2024.
“In the discussions that were moderated by the Honourable the Attorney General, the parties have agreed to have the court order lifted through a consent order having understood that the prospective recruitment of healthcare workers has been wholly funded by Malawi’s development partners,” reads the statement
The vacancy rate of healthcare workers within the Ministry of Health is currently hovering around 48%.
As one way of addressing this shortage, the Government secured a grant from Global Fund to be applied towards recruiting additional healthcare workers.
It is understood that the recruitment of healthcare workers would significantly help to reduce the shortage of healthcare workers in public health facilities.
Those who obtained the order argued that the government was being discriminatory by not allowing them to attend the interviews, but Mndolo says serving healthcare workers would be allowed to compete for promotion during promotional interviews to be conducted in due course.
“Serving healthcare workers would be allowed to compete for promotion during promotional interviews to be conducted in due course.
“This would serve to comply with section 4 of the Public Service Act (Cap. 1:03 of the Laws of Malawi) which requires that entry into and advancement within the public service should be determined solely based on merit, namely, relative ability, knowledge, skill and aptitude after fair and open competition which assures that all citizens receive equal opportunity.”
