Government is spending K100, 000 per day paying hired health personnel at Balaka District Hospital where nurses have gone on strike demanding removal of four top officials.

The district health office Public Relations Officer, Mr. Clifton Ngozo confirmed that management has hired four staff from neighboring districts to cover up the on sit in.

The hospital has hired 29 health workers from Machinga and Ntcheu who were on holiday and are getting allowances ranging from K1, 200 to K8, 000.

The staff on strike have said they will continue boycotting work until authorities transfer four top officials whom they accused of ill-treatment.

“They don’t care about our welfare. We work without gloves yet we also work over time without any consideration. All they care is to look into their own welfare ignoring we the staff members,” alleged one employee.

The four include District Health Officer Owen Chikwaza, District Nursing Officer Beata Zuzu, and District Medical Officer Frank Linzie.

The striking employees said in November they wrote the ministry in Lilongwe over the matter but that the letter yielded nothing.