KCH staff threaten to down tools

Staff at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe have given their employers a seven-day ultimatum to address their grievances which include revising allowances and salaries.

In a letter dated November 9 2014 addressed to the Ministry of Health, the staff said they feel cheated that government has not revised their allowances and  salaries given the circumstances they work under.

Stella Warren, chairperson of the KCH social welfare committee, said they will down tools until all issues are resolved.

Said Warren: “We feel cheated, professional allowances and risk allowances have never been revised since some 10 years ago if not more, what is the meaning of that? Government knows that the circumstances we work in are very risky and that the money they give us is not enough.

“Then they increased our salaries by a small percentage, we want salary harmonisation. From Tuesday next week, we also demand that they [government] should replace locum with overtime, we cannot live like this.”

According to Warren, if government does not address the issues, KCH will take to the streets.

“You see, it is not about KCH wanting to go to the streets, it’s about our welfare and those of the patients. If government wants us to negotiate, the minister and the principal secretary [PS] must come to address us,” she said.

Ministry of Health chief medical services director Charles Mwansambo said he was yet to see the letter, but said government would work on the issues. ■