Barely days after some unemployed nursing officers threatened to drag the Ministry of Health (MoH) to court for anomalies that marred the recent recruitment process of healthcare workers, the Ministry has now started replacing names of ghost recruits.
After releasing the names of 5,868 newly recruited healthcare workers across the country in February this year, the ministry has been under fire for irregularities that marred the whole recruitment process.
It has been reported that some district councils hired some people who were not even shortlisted for interviews, while some council and ministry officials are being accused of demanding K250,000 from some interviewees so that they should be considered first for the job.
Earlier this week, some of the nursing officers, who were not successful during this recruitment process, threatened to drag the ministry to court for the anomalies.
However, the ministry, through a press statement signed by Secretary for Health Dr. Samson Mndolo, announced that it has started replacing names of all ineligible candidates who were fraudulently hired.
“The Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Government Health Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission, has been sieving candidates that appeared on the selection list but did not meet the eligibility criteria as per the advertisement for the recent walk-in interviews.
“The Ministry, therefore, wishes to inform the general public that it has completed the process for the posts of Nursing Officer (Grade HI), Community Midwife Assistant (Grade HL), and Medical Assistant (Grade HL) and is pleased to release the names of the suitably qualified replacement candidates, selected from the reserve list,” reads part of the statement.
The list shows 136 new and eligible names of nursing officers grade HI, 14 community midwife assistants grade HL, six medical assistants grade HL, and ten nurse midwife technicians grade HK.
The ministry further says the process of replacement of other ineligible cadres is underway and has advised the newly selected candidates to report for duties at their respective duty stations within fourteen (14) days and must bring with them two (2) copies of Certificates; two (2) copies of National ID; original Certificates and original National ID.
Meanwhile, the interim Chairperson for unemployed nursing officers Lonjezo Justice Phiri, has expressed his joy after 136 candidates from the list of 156 candidates who were on the reserve list following the anomalies have been recruited.
Phiri however said he is very optimistic that as the ministry continues with the replacement process, the other remaining candidates will also be considered.
“Am so happy that justice has started prevailing and it is my prayer that the remaining deserving candidates who are still on the reserve list, will as well be considered by the ministry.
“I would also want to commend the ministry for publishing the names of eligible candidates. For transparency’s sake, I would wish this should not end here,” said Phiri.
