Malawi govt spent millions hiring private doctors

The Malawi government has been spending millions of kwacha paying private Obstetrics and Gynecologists to serve at the Ethel Mutharika Maternity wing at Kamuzu Central Hospital despite having qualified personnel to take up the jobs.

Hospital Director Dr. Noor Alide could however not give exact figures but said huge sums of tax payers’ money have been spent on the hired doctors.

However, Dr. Alide now says this will no longer be the case following a presidential directive that two specialist doctors who have been waiting for service letters be employed immediately.

The identity of one of the doctors is Dr. Grace Chiudzu but the identity of the other doctor is yet to be known.

The facility has been hiring specialists since February 2011 when a German specialist working at the maternity wing left the country.