KCH staff threaten to lock out managers

Some workers at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, have threatened to lock out five senior managers this Monday should government fail to transfer them from the institution.

The workers are accusing the senior managers of abusing resources and deteriorating working conditions at the hospital, according to a letter addressed to Vice-President and Minister of Health Khumbo Kachali.

The proposed lock-out threatens lives of patients at the Central Region referral hospital as administration would not be able to support delivery of patient-care services and other operations at the facility.

The managers mentioned in the letter include chief hospital administrator Thom Chisale, principal hospital administrator Margaret Kalanda, human resources officer Victoria Msiska and two accountants—Dalitso Nthala and Benelita Lusuwa.

One of the doctors who co-signed the petition on Tuesday said KCH management has for more than a year failed to fix air conditioning system in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

We could not get a comment from Dr. Noor Alide, KCH hospital director, as he was reportedly abroad.

But his deputy, Davis Mtotha, on Friday said the matter has been referred to the Ministry of Health for resolution.

In an e-mailed response, Ministry of Health public relations officer Henry Chimbali said: “We have received the letter and we are following up with the concerned staff on the issues raised.”

Chisale said he was not aware of the allegations levelled against him and his management colleagues, saying the aggrieved staff have never approached them with the concerns.

Nthala said he will wait to hear from the Ministry of Health whereas and Msiska said she wished some of the signatories of the letter were transferred from KCH.

Kalanda and Lusuwa could neither be reached by phone nor found at KCH.

Recently, there have been similar cases of medical workers’ grievances against their management at Nsanje District and Zomba Central hospitals.