Government to Review Health Workers Recruitment Process…

Government has assured health workers who were left out of the recent recruitment exercise that it will review the process to address concerns over fairness, particularly affecting long-serving volunteer workers in health facilities. Minister of HealthAlex Katakwemade the assurance when he met a group of volunteer general workers from Solwezi General Hospital at the North-Western Provincial Health Office. Katakwe acknowledged the frustration among many applicants who were not selected despite years of unpaid service, noting that the concerns raised are genuine and require urgent attention.

“We understand the pain that comes with being left out. Many people have called in tears, saying they have volunteered for years but were not considered. These are genuine concerns that cannot be ignored,” he said.

The meeting follows growing concern from health volunteers across the country after the recent recruitment of 3,205 health workers, with many claiming their service was not adequately recognised. The minister revealed that complaints have emerged nationwide, including cases where general worker positions are being filled by individuals recruited from distant provinces instead of local volunteers already serving in those facilities. He described the trend as inconsistent with the directive byHakainde Hichilema, which prioritises the recruitment of local people for lower-level positions such as cleaners, watchmen, and general workers.

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“We cannot have a cleaner or watchman recruited from another province when there are local people in that same district who have been volunteering for years. That is not right, and we need to reverse it,” he said. Katakwe emphasised that local volunteers should be given first consideration, especially for non-specialised roles, with recruitment from outside areas only considered where there are no suitable local candidates.

He further noted that the issue extends beyond North-Western Province and affects health institutions across the country, calling for a coordinated national response. To address the matter, the minister announced plans to engage thePublic Service Management Divisionand theCivil Service Commissionto harmonise recruitment procedures and close existing gaps. “We acknowledge that there are weaknesses in the process. The feedback we are receiving is enough for us to review the system, including the database that has been used for recruitment, to ensure deserving people are fairly considered,” he said.

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