Health workers at Kameza Covid-19 camp site have downed tools demanding for payment of allowance arrears.
The industrial action comes after Malawi has recorded 8 new Covid-19 cases with 493 active cases following 73 recoveries and 6 deaths.
However, in an interview, Dr Zaziwe Fatsani Gunda, who is Acting District Medical Officer for Blantyre, has confirmed to MIJ FM that some of the workers have not been paid their outstanding allowances while others received partial allowances.
According to Dr. Gunda, the District Health Officer has no money to settle the arrears and is currently in talks with the Ministry of Health as well as Department of Disaster Management Affairs to release the funds.
However, Dr. Gunda expressed worry with the development saying the camp site risks being closed if the frontline health workers will continue holding the strike.
Meanwhile, Dr. Gunda has said an increase in community transmission of covid-19 is putting vulnerable groups at risk of contracting the virus.
Blantyre has so far recorded 94 confirmed positive cases of Covid19 of which 57 are community transmission while 37 were imported.
Dr Gunda says that the increase in community transmission is putting vulnerable people at risk of contracting covid-19 who include the elderly and people with underlying health conditions such as cancer, diabetes as well as asthma.
Health authorities in Blantyre have bemoaned that a strike by frontline health workers at Kameza Covid-19 camp site may hamper the fight against the pandemic.
