MHEN Opposes Export of Nurses

MHEN Opposes Export of Nurses

The Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has opposed plans by the National Organizations of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM) to start exporting nurses to other countries.

MHEN Executive Director, George Jobe told Zodiak online, there could be other ways to absorb the nurses other than exporting them because it portrays government as a failed employer.

Jobe’s comment was in reaction to plans by NONM to review clauses in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed with its agent to exporting the nurses.

Once completed, the program will see Malawi exporting close to 1000 nurses a year to countries like the United States of America (USA) and others.

The NONM Executive Director has described the program as retrogressive.

Jobe said “We understand their dilemma, we have nurses who are not recruited yet, our appeal to government is to ensure that funds available, all health care workers not only nurses and midwives, those who are qualified must be recruited”.

But NONM President, Shouts Simeza feels the program will offload a backlog of 3000 qualified but unemployed nurses.

“We are talking of unemployed registered midwives and nurses, they are the ones who are going to America.

“Those that are already employed, we need them here in Malawi, we are already understaffed so we cannot help getting and poaching those that are already in the system,” said Simeza.

The deal according to NONM seeks to improve the welfare of those in the nursing profession while working abroad.

In Africa, countries like Kenya and Zimbabwe already adopted similar programs. NONM figures show that the country has over 3000 skilled but unemployed nurses.

 

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Last modified on Thursday, 30/06/2022

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