The Ministry of Health has failed to put over 2,000 health workers on government payroll, six months after a much publicised recruitment exercise.
The workers who include Nurses, Pharmacists and Environmental Health Technicians have been placed in various stations but have not received any salaries or allowances for over six months.
Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya confirmed that none of the recently recruited civil servants under the Ministry of Health has started getting paid.
Dr Chilufya however blamed the failure to pay the new workers on what he called administrative glitches.
“Yes we have not placed our new cadre of health workers on payroll yet, this is due to some administrative issues glitches,” he said.
He added, “The issue at the moment is merely administrative. The good part is that at policy level, we have agreed that we recruit these new health workers. Very soon all shall be sorted.”
Government announced in January that it is targeting to recruit 7,900 health workers in 2017.
But some affected health workers have since abandoned their new work stations, a situation which has paralysed health delivery systems in most parts of the country.
Some interviewed said they cannot continue working for free for over six months especially that they were posted to areas where they had no relatives.
“The expectation for most of us was that we will start getting something at least even after three months but we have gone for six months without receiving anything, even our settling in allowances have not come. So how do you expect me to survive in Kalabo for over six months without pay when my family is still in Lusaka?”, asked one of the affected Nurses who has since returned to Lusaka.
Other interviewed revealed that corruption and theft of drugs has now increased due to failure by Government to pay the new workers.
“It’s so frustrating because most of us are young people and these are our fist appointments and to be subjected to this by our own government is depressing,” they lamented.
Three Ministry of Health employees and two businessmen are appearing in the Lusaka Magistrate’s Court for stealing HIV test kits valued at K5,000, the property of the Government.
The solution to all our problems is to bring back the whites. All other avenues, no matter what you do, you will end up at the same spot. No matter how vigorous you oppose my idea, unfortunately it is the only way out. We need to loose our sovereignty somehow in order to progress. Some people today don’t even know where the next meal will come from and you have a presidential motorcade of 21 vehicles and each minister with two official high fuel consuming vehicles and you expect the country to move forward. The auditor general’s report says the same things year in year out with no consequences.
Health Workers that PF for you now it is sorting you out you are yet to suffer. shut up enjoy the fruits of the tree you plantent
These P.F Maggots have different priorities ie, 2021, Stealing, touring, & shielding Thugs like Kaizer.
ENJOY DUNUNA REVERSE!!!
Really laughable…yet parttime councillors, MPs got increases in allowances…these empty tins like priorities.
There is a very bad ulcer among some Africans which thrives on the very medicine applied to it. This ulcer is lack of proper and sustainable planning. Surprisingly, this ulcer is common now in government institutions in Zambia than ever before. Putting nurses on payroll is among the first tasks to be done when recruitment has been done. I smell a rat here…and this must be investigated outrightly and discipline whoever is putting up some devilish bureaucratic tendencies at the expense of survival for our well meaning nurses. .
What Harriet says is funny but sadly true and an indictment on FREE, AFRICAN, MAJORITY, INDEPENDENT rule.Look everywhere in Africa, Corruption and tribalism in all its senses and extremes is the norm-except maybe in Botswana. South Africa had to recall ” WHITES” back to run the civil service around 2008-11 when the rot set in.Look at” the newest” country in the world-South Sudan,they were better off under the Arabs in Khartoum . Look at Zambia,Zimbabwe-the list is endless.Disgraceful. All we stand for is TRIBALISM! I stand to be corrected!
its true not everything is bad about europeans coming back and rule us in africa because on our own we have failed. in most areas where you development in africa, europeans or chinese are there.
native south africans brag about their development but its europeans who behind or that infrastructure. without caucasians S.A could be just like malawi or zambia. they convinced us to call them WHITES though there is no such human been and call ourselves blacks. up to date no one can argue, to say “hey man you are not white, you look pinkish or pale or whatever”. that’s how good they are, they brain wash the entire world. why don’t they call chinese, koreans and japanese whites?
on there other hand there are good because they know how the world works, where ever they are there is…
It is quite disheartening for the PF government to behave in this manner. And the minister even had the audacity to claim that these were administrative glitches. This is a crisis for heavens sake. If he were a proper minister he coud not have allowed this rubbish. How can you recruit people and expect them to work without pay? Is there any logic in this? There is something seriously wrong with this PF government. It is like it is run by headless chickens who cannot tell the rear from the front. It is unthinkable to have a minister who takes such an issue cuasually and even blames other organs of the system as not being efficient. There are strange things never seen or experienced before, being the order of the day in this PF government. Useless leadership at the helm. The country is in…
BT HOW COME THE GOVERNMENT WAS MANAGING TO BUY CAMPAIGN MATERIALS WHERE ARE WE HEADING TO!
@9 Keizar, Because these narcissistic Pirates @ the head of P.F, only think of ruling forever, as that transpires to Free Plunder, free travel, free partying, alcoholic beverages & food, free 5 star medical facilities abroad.
If you came from Chawama, where you were a struggling Pub / Clipjoint landlord, with No Real prospects, then all of the sudden you have a personal Jet plane, Chef, Cheer leaders to massage you drunken ego on a daily basis, not many can resist prioritising re -election, as opposed to the welfare of your long suffering citizens.
IT’S DUNUNA IYE FOR THE NEXT 4.5 years, CHAPWA!!
Why employ before meeting the many outstanding claims in allowances and benefits for those still in employment and the retirees
Harriet I’m not a civil servant I can support you . you are 100% correct we have failed
PAY ALL OUTSTANDING RETIREES BENEFITS IN ALL ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES AND DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FIRST! DON’T EVEN THINK OF RECRUITING NEW EMPLOYEES BEFORE YOU CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF THEIR OUTSTANDING TERMINAL BENEFITS FOR NOW!WE ARE ONLY GIVING YOU UP TO 31 DECEMBER 2017 TO CLEAR THIS HUGE DEBT THAT YOU OWE TO THESE HONOURABLE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTRY DILIGENTLY UNDER VERY DIFFICULT CONDITIONS. FAILURE TO WHICH, WE SHALL PETITION THE ZAMBIAN HEAD OF STATE TO ICC FOR HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION!
MR LUNGU GETS PAID HIS SALARY AND TRAVEL BENEFITS ABROAD ON TIME, AT THE EXPENSE OF SUFFERING MAJORITY OF ZAMBIANS! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! TODAY RETIREES IN ZAMBIA HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO BEGGARS AND DESTITUTES. IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY THEM FOR THEIR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AND…