Malawi’s Health Ministry must treat its industrial ‘cancer’

What we have heard from Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) is not inspiring: Another case in which staff want colleagues transferred on account of alleged poor service?

It is not long ago we had similar allegations from Nsanje District and Zomba Central hospitals.

Whatever reasons were from both sides, the situation caused some suffering among patients who must always be treated with utmost attention and efficiency.

The cases also put into question the quality of workers relationships, how these are managed so that service delivery is not affected. The name of Malawi’s public hospitals also suffered a dent, which is yet to be repaired.

We believe hospital staff, notably supervisors and managers, are well qualified and experienced to do their work, handle personnel and industrial issues at their work places. In fact, we are aware there are set channels of communication to be used when challenges arise and a prescribed minimum amount of time these must be attended to.

Where, we ask, is all this at KCH, and the other hospitals where there has been similar trouble?

The Ministry of Health needs to come in quickly with a win-win solution at KCH, because our fear is that the ‘cancer’ may spread to other health institutions in the country.

We particularly deplore the quality of quality control in the country’s health establishments, at least from what we have seen in Nsanje, Zomba and now KCH.

Some staff are either not working or causing unnecessary confusion. Both cases have no room in the country’s hospitals and the rest of the public service.