CUNM Demands Government’s Recruitment Of Nurses & Midwives

Concerned Unemployed Nurses and Midwives CUNM have demanded government to recruit them by the end of this month.

CUNM made the demand during a press conference in Lilongwe.

Chairperson Dalitso Dulani said CUNM condemns government’s graduate internship program.

“CUNM is worried that over 2000 qualified and registered nurses and midwives are not employed in the country,” said Dulani

He said it is very sad that three years after completion of their expensive studies they remain unemployed.

Dulani also said nurses and midwives have exercised patience of highest order waiting with hope that one day government will employ them.

He further said “the most shocking situation is that unemployment rate is high when government hospitals are in critical shortage of nurses and midwives.”

Therefore Dulani says the condition puts lives of innocent Malawians and the profession at danger.

A report by White Ribbon Alliance in 2016 revealed that over 20, 000 midwives are needed in Malawi to meet the midwife patient ratio of 175 to 1 as recommended by World Health organisation.

It said there are only 3420 midwives in the country which is resulting into martenal health crisis.

The group then criticized government graduate internship program saying it is not reasonable to work for 10 months after doing the same for over 2 years.

“CUNM is asking government to withdraw the internship of nurses and midwives,”Dulani said

The group then appealed to Malawians, public affairs committee, civil society organizations, religious leaders, the media and political parties to join them in asking government to employ all qualified and registered nurses and midwives.

CUNM expressed hope that the state president understands the seriousness of the matter and will listen to their concerns.