St. John’s Hospital strike ends after Cham intervention
Officials from Christian Health Association of Malawi (Cham) on Wednesday held a two-hour meeting with striking staff at St. John’s Hospital in Mzuzu to end a sit-in that begun on Monday.
The workers went on strike demanding involvement in decision-making, appreciation of their challenges, confirmation of a contract for Richard Nhlane as well as his elevation to the position of hospital director.
Currently, the position is occupied by administrator Charity Chinkono in an acting position.
Since Monday, health workers have been turning back patients as a way of forcing the hospital’s board to intervene.
On Wednesday, Mzuzu Diocese Vicar General Andrew Mughogho was scheduled to meet the striking staff at 2:30pm, but the meeting failed after the arrival of a Cham team led by acting executive director Titha Dzowela.
One of the workers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they told Cham officials the problems that they meet.
“We told them the need to have someone with medical background as our director because he or she will understand our problems,” said the source.
The source said Cham officials also assured them that they will engage authorities on their challenges.
On his part, Dzowela confirmed the meeting which he described as fruitful.
Chinkono refused to comment on the matter. n
