Malawi health workers strike over allowances

By Jamal Jamal

LILONGWE, Malawi (AA) - Malawi hospital staff in public and mission-based hospitals nation began on Monday an indefinite industrial strike due to delay in implementing "agreed-upon allowances."

The striking staff includes nurses, clinicians, dental therapists, medical assistants, and clinical associates.

The walk out comes after fruitless negotiations mediated by Malawi Human Rights Commission over the past few weeks.

In a joint statement, the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) and Physician Assistants of Malawi (PAUM) said the decision for industrial action was taken following a “lack of commitment to address our grievances by government.”

“These allowances were negotiated to address pressing financial challenges and to recognize the indispensable contributions of health care workers as professionals in Malawi. As you are aware, these professionals work tirelessly under difficult and distressing conditions. The delays in the implementation of the agreed-upon allowances are disappointing and undermine our commitment to contact and dialogue,” the statement said.

“In light of this, we have collectively resolved to proceed with a sit-in as per demand of the membership of our organizations who as we speak are languishing in poverty despite their dedication and service to humanity.”

The Malawi Human Rights Commission described the development as “very unfortunate and regrettable.”

Habiba Osman, executive secretary of the commission, told Anadolu that the development is affecting poor citizens who rely on the public and mission-based health facilities for their health concerns.

“We tried to come in to mediate for the sake of the citizens of the country who are bearing the brunt of the strike, but our efforts proved fruitless. We feel for the underprivileged of the society who can’t access medical care in private facilities. But we have every hope that sanity will prevail,” Osman said.

A group of stranded patients who talked to Anadolu at a government facility described the development as a “gross violation of human rights.”

“We are poor people and can’t pay for services in private hospitals. We have been here since morning in our desperate attempt to get help, but to no avail. This is a gross violation of our rights as citizens,” Anna Nkhoma said.

Only skeleton staff is attending to serious cases in referral hospitals and other major mission-based facilities.

The action comes barely a week after magistrates and support staff in the judiciary went on a sit-in over “failed negotiations over pay rise.”

There was no comment from government until the filing of this report.