The Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) and the Universal Health Coverage Coalition (UHCC) have urged government to ensure that its planned recruitment of health workers is safe, transparent and fair.
The organisations want the entire process to be merit-based and free from favouritism and political interference, and accompanied by deliberate measures to improve staff retention, motivation and professional development.
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation announced that various cadres of health workers will be recruited through walk-in interviews from 20 to 22 November 2026, with support from the Global Fund.
However, the two organisations has asked the ministry and the Health Service Commission to put adequate measures in place.
First, they called for the prevention of overcrowding and stampedes, given the likelihood of large numbers of candidates, as has happened before.
They said government should introduce proper crowd management measures, including staggered reporting times, organised queues, adequate security personnel, clear entry and exit points and sufficient interview panels.
According to the organisations, candidates should receive clear information on reporting arrangements to prevent unnecessary congestion and protect their safety.
Second, they called for fairness to serving health workers. The organisations said they were particularly concerned about qualified workers already in the public health system who have upgraded their academic and professional qualifications but remain in junior positions.
They said these officers should get a fair opportunity to compete for senior positions matching their qualifications and experience.
They argued that it would be unfair and demotivating, for newly recruited individuals to occupy senior positions while experienced serving officers, who have upgraded their qualifications and continued serving government, remain in junior positions without an opportunity for career progression.
They emphasised that this was not a call for automatic promotion or exclusion of external candidates, but for a fair and transparent process that recognises qualifications, upgrading, experience and the contribution of existing health workers.
