Information sourced by FaceofMalawi indicates that 20 of the 51 newly graduated medical doctors that the government of Malawi is failing to employ due to financial constraints have been employed by the government of Lesotho.
Recently the government of Malawi came under fire from Medical Doctors Union of Malawi (MDUM) and the Society of Medical Doctors (SMD) for failing to employ the said doctors in its health system.
MDUM and SDM accused the government of displaying lack of seriousness in dealing with challenges locking the health Ministry and bodies gave government a 14-day ultimatum to reverse its decision or face massive industrial strike.
Three days later the government of Malawi reversed its decision and informed the said doctors that soon the government will be recruiting them.
But in a twist of event, information at hand indicates that 20 of the said doctors have been employed by the Lesotho government.
President of Society of Medical Doctors in Malawi Dr Douglas Lungu confirmed the development in an interview saying 20 doctors out of the 51 have been employed by the Lesotho government after Malawi failed to recruit them.
“What has happened is sad, its true that some doctors have been employed by the government of Lesotho which has intensified the strengthening of its health system and is employing available doctors from elsewhere, so after reading the situation in Malawi that government is not employing these doctors they made inquiries and 20 doctors have so far been taken on board, which is very sad for Malawi”, said Lungu.
Reacting to the development, one of the health right activists Martha Kwataine has expressed shock over the development, saying the government is to blame on the matter.
Effort to talk to officials from the Ministry of Health proved futile.
