Frequent changes in Hospital management is a sign of in-efficiency in the Health System in Malawi

My plan for this week was to meet Dr T ,the director of Zomba Central hospital and discuss the way forward for the upcoming eye hospital .I called his secretary to book an appointment ; and I am told Dr T doesn’t work for that hospital anymore ; he has been transfer to another hospital .And I ask who is now the new director ,Dr MC who was not long ago kicked out of the senior position he was heading in the ministry and sent to a district ; now he seemed to have regained his strength and be promoted again. How was he picked them to head the challenging Zomba hospital? As usual no vacancy advertisements and no interviews were held so he must have been hand picked by someone else; I do not want to speculate .But its frustrating that in my ministry of Health people are given management position not because of performance; but rather because of connections and often as a result when the one who picks them changes position , the whole team of hospital directors change and often without handing over to the new director .For some of us who want action to continue it’s a bit frustrating because when you go to meet the new director he is not aware of discussions and decisions made by the former director .No files ,minutes or any records of previous discussions can be traced ; and often you have to start from scratch. Frequent changes in Hospital management are a sign of in-efficiency in the Health System in Malawi, and these need to stop for continuity of work.

I am looking forward to working well with MC, even though he doesn’t have the slightest clue that he is supposed to be my boss and what I am supposed to be doing in Zomba. I am just preparing a whole lecture about blind children in Zomba , how to find them and what my role is and I am hoping he will have time to listen (most directors don’t) and support me . Does he know anything about centre for education of the blind? I bet not.
I will also be advising him to check on
VISION2020 website for more information about origins of my work and what we intend to achieve.

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