SDA Malawi: Ministry of Health Must Reschedule Health Job Interviews

Seventh-day Adventists say the November 20-22 walk-in interviews leave candidates choosing between faith and a job, as ministry promises 5,000 posts by March The Eastern Malawi Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church has demanded that the Ministry of Health and Sanitation move the dates of walk-in interviews for healthworkers, claiming they force devout candidates to choose between their faith and a job. The ministry has scheduled the interviews for November 20 to 22 across the country's four regions. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn But in a statement on Tuesday signed by the group's public affairs and religious liberty director Sanned Lubani, the church said the dates clash with sacred days of worship observed by several faiths. He said the timing affects Muslims, who observe Friday as a day of congregational worship, Christians who keep Saturday as the Sabbath, and those whose main day of worship is Sunday. "We are advocating for an even playing field where every qualified Malawian can compete for employment without being forced to surrender a fundamental aspect of their religious identity," the statement reads. The church said the Constitution provides a clear framework for protecting religious freedom, equality and human dignity. Ministry of Health and Sanitation spokesperson Benedicto Mbewe did not comment. In a statement on Thursday, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Dan Namarika announced that the interviews would be held in all four regions. Speaking to the Malawi News Agency on Monday, Namarika said the ministry plans to recruit more than 5,000 health workers by March 31, 2027, to fill gaps in the health sector and reward long-serving staff. The posts include medical officers, clinical officers, laboratory technologists, nursing officers, pharmacy technicians, medical assistants and community midwife assistants. The church's Eastern Conference covers Chiradzulu, Zomba, Balaka, Machinga, Mangochi and part of Blantyre. Read the original article on Nyasa Times . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

This development signals a potential for religious discrimination claims in public sector recruitment in Malawi. Lawyers should advise clients, especially government ministries and large employers, to review their hiring schedules and policies to ensure they accommodate diverse religious observances, thereby mitigating legal risks under constitutional religious freedom provisions.

Source: Original reporting via AllAfrica Malawi