Some medical doctors and dental surgeons held a peaceful protest at Ministry of Health Headquarters (Ndeke House) over government’s failure to employ and deploy them.
Those interviewed say they feel let down by the Zambian government after putting in a lot of hours of study to enable them graduate.
They said the pronouncements by government that it will employ more health workers has not been backed by action as no one from their group has received any letter of appointment.
But Ministry of Health permanent secretary for technical services Dr Kennedy Malama says the ministry has received treasury authority to recruit 395 health workers, including doctors.
In a statement issued after meeting representatives of the 400 doctors seeking employment in the public service, Dr Malama urged the doctors to be patient as the matter of recruitment of health workers, including doctors, was a priority to government and will continue receiving attention.
“The doctors were making enquiries when the government of the republic of Zambia through the ministry of health will employ them. The doctors were updated that the ministry of Health has received treasury authority to recruit 395 health workers and this included doctors. However, from this treasury authority it was not possible to employ all the 400 doctors at once. It was highlighted that recruitment is done in phases depending on the availability of funds,” Dr Malama stated.
He stated that it was highlighted that government was resolved to ensuring that the inadequate human resource for health in various health facilities was addressed.
Dr Malama stated that between 2017 to date government had recruited 24,480 health workers which included doctors adding that government will continue building on this.
He stated that the meeting was held in a cordial manner and the ministry appreciated the response from the representatives of the doctors.
EASY SOLUTION IF YOU CAN SEEK EMPLOYMENT IN MALAWI BOTSWANA KENYA SOUTH AFRICA
MORE HONOURABLE THAN THIS PRESENT GOVERNMENT
By looking at the photo almost half the protesters are not wearing masks so it just shows why they of all people should be taking this pandemic seriously but they are not so these are 400 drop outs that didn’t make the grade. would you trust these doctors to treat you?
Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli is at Nairobi Hospital battling Covid-19. While both the governments of Tanzania and Kenya are mute about the matter, different sources confirm Magufuli, who has dismissed coronavirus since April 2020, is hospitalised in Nairobi.
#Cosmos, which pictures are you looking at? They are all masked. Lets give respect to these young men and women. if only you knew what they went through to attain their qualifications. Secondly, Juniors doctors need to work under supervision of Senior Doctors for at least two years, before they can go on their own. We hope for an amicable solution, 400 is a small number.
I hope they will be deployed soon, Zambia is still in need of Doctors. But then again i’d guess the delay is due to budgeting considerations.
@ Cosmos, I see you’re in Auz too. I wonder where?
Only a f.ool can have a medical degree and beg for a job from a government when doctors are needed in all other African countries.
If they leave to UK, then you insult them as diaspora.
It is shocking that PF government can fail to employ all doctors, in fact they should be castigating doctors to refuge to work at clinics.
What happened with those $1 million dollars trucks bought by useless MMD as mobile hospitals? Why not give these doctors a truck each while they wait for an opening at UTH?
Not everyone can be employed. Just because you have qualified in a specific occupation does not mean that you will be automatically employed. If that was the case then even useless upnd diasporan would be employed abroad but that’s not the case. Time to use your Initiative. How do others open private hospitals? We will engage these doctors who need to grow up
This is failure to Plan and Manage the Economy by the ECL PF Govt. They are Printing Money recklessly to buy votes 4 PF but can’t employ these highly trained and qualified Drs. Shame on this Govt. Its priorities are upside down. Come August 12,2021 Elections Donchi kubeba without fail.
The agony of a government that imposes itself on people by bribing the citizenry but when it comes to substantive issues, its lies, populist agenda,
humble leader worship, corruption, loans default, incompetency and ignorance and government dysfunctional – run out of ideas.
MoH has been in a mess for a long time now. There are many that are still on salaries of interns but are fully qualified
TULEYA TULEFULA KWATI MA TEACHERS
Kaizar Zulu, your ignorance is sickening. How can a junior doctor without internship open a private hospital? To think that you are this ignorant and you were once an adviser to the head of sate, explains why we are in this pretty pass.
This is far from reality. The doctors have already been employed. They have even got internships. Media should be responsible while reporting about such sensitive matters.
How blatantly misreported! The media is rapidly losing credibility with such irresponsible acts. The first paragraph of the news says 400 doctors are unemployed and deliberately underplay employment of 395 candidates. Why? This is highly irresponsible journalism.
The statement by Dr Malama is self explanatory. Yet media is blowing the matter out of proportion. He has clearly said that everyone will be absorbed in government jobs in phases. I fail to understand why media is suddenly behaving like politicians!
Has anyone wondered why these doctors are not getting jobs? If the government can employ more than 24000 doctors, what is the problem in employing 400? Have they scored enough to qualify for the job? Or they are just being unruly and creating scene to make a political issue?
Who is stopping them from trying for jobs in neighbouring countries? In the times of pandemic, every country needs doctors. If they are really qualified and capable, they should not beg for job rather, command jobs.
It is nothing but an attempt to hide their failure. I am sure there is some issue with their performance in examinations. Do they really qualify as doctors, have they shown required performance in the medical school? I have serious doubts.
I would appeal to people of Zambia, not to believe in the news spread with ulterior motive. This smells of an attempt by opposition parties to create confusion among people thereby fuelling unrest.
The government has already issued statement in this regard. Everyone will be employed soon. Few months back, there was news about jobless teachers. The opposition parties exploited the matter to the fullest. But now no one is speaking as all the teachers have got the jobs.
Government has some restrictions. No one can be employed unless there is financial provision for the job. The authorities concerned are working out the finances to employ these 400 doctors. It is just a matter of time. But the opposition parties will even jump on this to exploit the doctors and mislead them. At least media should do balanced reporting in such matters.
You seem to be alien to Zambia. Have you read the news carefully? Answers to all the questions raised are there in it. The only thing is that you need to keep your eyes and brain open while reading it. Having the nick name of Nostradamus won’t make you one.
Uyu ati “tikki”, you seem to be ignorant. The countries you say they shld go & seek employment are no longer as stupid as Zambia were foreigners just come & stay. The countries you mention have even turned anti-foreigner. Especially black foreigners from Africa. I don’t need to tell u about South Africa, it’s on TV everyday. They burn u there. Botswana used to employ a lot of foreigners a long time ago. Now their own people r educated & unemployed, so jobs have been reserved for citizens. It’s not open boarders for employment anymore. It’s only in this Zambia were foreigners have taken over all the shops in all the towns. Foreigners are full selling in the markets, in the streets. Everywhere. Foreigners can even refuse you entry into their shop or restaurant or bar. And citizens are…
So sad to read some of the comments here. First and foremost access to health services in Zambia is dismal and partly due to poor resources including medical personnel. How on earth does this Malama talk about absorbing the physicians in blocks due to lack of funding but there is enough money for bicycles for chiefs etc, screwed priorities and yet some of you here think this ok. This is not an issue of poor performance by these doctors as much as a climax that is not conducive and primarily the government
WILL BE EMPLOYED IN PHASES THATS THE WORDING WHICH = ANYTHING FROM 1 to 5 YEARS
KZ you have never anything wrong in pf. Give me an honest answer were do you think you could have done better and what good thing can you say about upnd and Zambians living in the diaspora?
12 August do the right thing
CAN SOMEBODY GIVE US THE COSTS OF RECRUITING AND TRAINING THESE CITIZENS. SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT OPPORTUNITIES WE ARE MISSING AND CHALLENGES – THE AMOUNT OF WASTE IN TERMS OF HUMAN RESOURCE/S ETC.
Horrendous for eleven years PF has been building hospitals and clinics now can someone explain to me how all those structures didn’t translate into more healthcare jobs same with schools. Even the major hospitals are understaffed, people have died because of lack of doctors. Pf has really destroyed our beautiful country, citizens turned into beggars while cadres have loads of cash
Delaying the deployment of health workers means allowing more deaths
Its unforgivable for the PF Govt to leave essential workers like Drs and Nurses especially in this Covid-19 infected World. This ECL Govt is printing and borrowing Money to dish out to PF Cadres to buy votes for ECL and PF in the Election Season. ECL is buying buses,bicycles and allocating Cash to buy votes in the 2021 Elections. ECL is using Taxpayer’s Money to campaign for his Re-election while mòst Zambians are starving due high cost of living. Come August 12,2021 suffering Zambians must vote out this Corrupt ECL PF Govt. HH aka Bally is our hope and our Saviour. Bally will fix it.
So @Twende, what are doing with your Pathetic government that is allowing all those things you mention. Do not blame Tikki or professionals such as doctors who leave Zambia and be respected in foreign countries for their services.
Stop complaining iwe . Everything government use your brain mwana kaizer Zulu is right.
There are many other proffessionals who have graduated with various degrees and have no jobs as well.
Government is not obliged to find anyone a job . Those doctors are free to apply for employment anywhere.
Do you ever see lawyers demonstrating because they cannot find a job as lawyer? Or do you see accountants doing such? What makes doctors think they are special ? Many people take on jobs in other fields whilst looking for the job they want. Stop being childish.
Other professionals do not protest because only a few will be employed government if any. Government has, historically employs 90% of health professionals all over the world. Private will only employ a few without experience, for them it is a service and business.
The article refers to 400 doctors. The 395 are general health workers. Even the 24000 referred to are ‘health workers’, not necessarily doctors. Can’t some of you read, or understand? There is no misreporting here.
Trouble is there’re just too many of these young people doing Medicine now. Some of them do not even have basic qualifications to get into a Medical School. All one needs now is a parent or parents who can send you to a foreign country or some medical school here in Zambia as long as they can afford. Slowly we have become a west African country. A few years from now, only a handful will be finding jobs. Look at what is happening with nursing, teaching and the likes. Every corner house is a university offering the above courses. Wonder why these kids are finding it hard to get registered in developed countries? There you go. You’ve got the answer. Most of them have got no clue.
@Yaks -When i wrote the comment LT only had 1 photo up, the first one and you can see nearly 50% are not wearing masks, even the ones not facing the camera you would see the mask bands around the ears, as for the new photos they are better with only one or two wear the mask with the nose out or none at all. what i am saying is the story said they had graduated and were now called doctors so this bit of working under a senior doctor has nothing to do with it, as most people said they can always work in other countries if they have the real papers.