Malawi health workers 'go on strike'

Nurses in Malawi have gone on strike after the government failed to hire more health workers, local media report.

The government had announced that 2,000 health workers would be recruited to help in the fight against Covid-19, the reports say.

Nurses have previously complained about poor pay, lack of protective gear, and long working hours.

A local news site tweeted photos of nurses at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in the southern city of Blantyre refusing to work.

Nurses at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital have downed tools, demanding answers to their grievances such as low risk allowance which is at K1800 per month and lack of personal protective equipment among others

Reported by @ChaulukaJameson #TimesNews pic.twitter.com/zZUs2xagI8

— Times 360 Malawi (@bnltimes) April 16, 2020

The government announced a 21-day lockdown, starting on Saturday, to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The southern African country has 16 confirmed cases of coronavirus.

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Coronavirus in Africa

Malawi