By Thandiwe Moyo:
After wrangles rocked Mchinji District Hospital because junior workers demanded the removal of four senior officers, including the Director of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the four officers have finally been transferred.
This also follows Mchinji Concerned Citizens joining the issue by issuing an ultimatum of 14 days that the four should be transferred.
Letters that Malawi News Agency (Mana) has seen signed by the Executive Secretary for Local Government Service Commission, Berlings Kumpata, show government has transferred DHSS Dr. Juliana Kanyengambeta to Reproductive Health Unit to work as deputy director, while her colleague, Principal Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Neema Uzeni Phiri, will be at Kamuzu Central Hospital to continue with the same post.
The junior officers for Mchinji Health Office also asked for the head of Principal Health Services Administrator, Develiers Mwale and Dennis Munkhondia, a Human Resources Officer.
The letters reveal that Mwale has been transferred to Salima District Council, while Munkhondia has been sent to Mzimba District Council.
The four members of the senior management team at Mchinji DHO were being accused of practicing nepotism and unprofessional conduct when discharging their duties.
The documents in our custody only show that Mwale has been replaced by a Mr Chopi Malidadi, the details of those who have replaced the other three are yet to reach our desk.
Fed up with the issue, Concerned Citizens of Mchinji Chairperson, Yotam Chikhasu, joined the calls for the removal of the four.
Chikhasu said the delay in transferring the officers was affecting service delivery at the district hospital and putting people’s lives at risk.
“We are demanding the removal of the health officers because they have not conducted themselves in an ethical and professional manner when discharging their duties as frontline managers,” said Chikhasu.
He stated that all efforts to resolve the issues amicably with the officials proved futile due to the case which arose from conflict of interest, and now, the only option was to have them transferred.
Apart from demanding for the removal of the four senior officers, Chikhasu also mentioned that the concerned citizens were also demanding the dissolution and election of the new Health Management Committee.
“We are also demanding the replacement of the handpicked committee which has, for a long time, betrayed the citizens of Mchinji.
“We will, thus, proceed to deliver our petition to the district commissioner who should address the situation within 24 hours,” he said.
The issues also sparked commotion as some traditional leaders flocked to the labour office to demand the removal of the said senior health officials.
This follows days after concerned health workers at Mchinji District Hospital threatened to put their tools down after observing that the four were still reporting for work when they were told to go on holiday until the issues were resolved.
