Health Ministry Under Fire as Court Blocks Questionable Recruitments
Published on July 2, 2025 at 12:03 PM by Edgar Naitha
The High Court has granted an injunction to over 500 unemployed nurses, halting the deployment of newly recruited or promoted health workers across Malawi.
The injunction follows a judicial review application filed by Emmanuel Banda, Eranivie Goodson, Wadson Gunde, and 497 others, who allege that many of the newly appointed individuals are not properly qualified or licensed to practice.
The group accuses the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Local Government, and the Local Government Service Commission of breaching professional standards in the recruitment and promotion process.
According to the claimants, several health workers were appointed without valid registration or licenses, potentially endangering patient care and violating regulatory requirements.
Judith Chilembo, CEO of the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi, echoed these concerns, confirming that the council has identified individuals lacking proper licensure.
She stated that the council has submitted a list of affected individuals and has formally requested the Ministry of Health to verify all health personnel’s registration and licensing before finalizing any appointments.
The case has put pressure on the Health Ministry to address issues of transparency and compliance in its hiring process.
Further legal proceedings are expected as the court considers the full judicial review.
Meanwhile, the deployment of newly hired or promoted health workers remains on hold.
