Africa-Press – Zambia. The Civil Service Commission has disclosed that over 100 thousand applications have been received in the ongoing recruitment exercise for health workers.
Commission Chairperson Peter Mumba says Lusaka Province recorded the highest number of applicants at 21 301, followed by Copperbelt Province with 19 778 and Muchinga Province recording the least applications with 5 918.
Mr Mumba said the numbers are likely to increase after the deadline for receiving applications was extended and the further advertisement of the optometry technologists.
Mr Mumba was speaking in Lusaka during a national update on the ongoing recruitment of 11, 276 health workers following the submission of application letters.
Mr. Mumba assured that the recruitment process will be carried out yearly in an effort to dismantle the huge number of people with interest to join the Ministry of Health.
“So far a preliminary assessment shows that various institutions have received an estimated number of 109 777 applications,” Mr. Mumba revealed.
He confirmed that the receipt of application letters closed on April 8, 2022 except for optometry technologists positions which are scheduled to close on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
Mr. Mumba further announced that the Commission has successfully appointed and established human resource management committees in nine provinces and will be completing the exercise in Western province this week.
He explained that the selected human resource management committees have received the recruitment guidelines to be used during implementation of human resource reforms that call for equity, inclusiveness, fairness and meritorious appointments into the civil service.
Mr Mumba added that it is the reason the Ministry of Health has engaged the Zambia Agency for Persons with Disability to ensure the actualization of government’s commitment to enhance ownership, equity and inclusiveness
And He assured the general public that various law enforcers and security wings such as the Anti-Corruption Commission will closely monitor the recruitment exercise to tighten compliance to the selection criteria and guidelines.
Information and Media Minister Chushi Kasanda Meanwhile, Chief Government Spokesperson, Chushi Kasanda, has urged officers responsible for recruiting health workers to be transparent.
Ms. Kasanda, who is also Information and Media Minister, says it is important for the recruitment process to be held in a corrupt free manner so that only deserving applicants are employed.
She was speaking at Lewanika General Hospital after touring Zambia Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA)-Mongu Medical Stores. Ms. Kasanda urged officers in the Ministry of Health to ensure that the recruitment guidelines are followed religiously.
“We don’t want to leave anyone behind hence do the right thing and ensure that the laid down procedure is followed,” she said. She added that even the stipulated categories of people required to get recruited has to be taken into consideration.
“Make sure you exercise zero tolerance to corruption and embrace everyone including the female folk and persons living with disability,” she said.
Ms. Kasanda added that the recruitment team has to be on the lookout for people that will apply in several districts. “We want to recruit people from their locality hence applying in more than one district should not be tolerated,” she emphasised.
And Western Province Health Director, Francis Liywali, said applicants were sensitised about the correct requirements that are needed. Dr. Liywali pointed out that the screening of the applications will first be done from the districts under the supervision of District Commissioners before they are scrutinised by the provincial team and lastly by the team at national level.
Government is currently recruiting 11, 200 health workers and 30,000 teachers, this is in a bid to reduce staff shortages in the health and education sectors.
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