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The Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia (MQHZ) says the 2024 and 2025 health workers recruitment processes were marred with complaints from health professionals and the public, citing multiple issues that undermined trust in the system.
The Civil Service Commission had announced that advertisements for the recruitment of 2,600 health workers would be published shortly, with the announcement sparking renewed calls for reforms to address past irregularities.
In a media statement issued Monday, MQHZ Director General Dr. Quince Mwabu said the upcoming exercise should restore public confidence.
“The previous recruitment exercises raised serious concerns among health professionals and members of the public regarding the use of the database system, inconsistencies in candidate selection, allegations of corruption and other irregularities,” Mwabu stated.
According to Mwabu, the irregularities created widespread uncertainty among qualified graduates and many professionals who met requirements remained unemployed while questions persisted about the criteria used.
He said the concerns created uncertainty among qualified health professionals and raised questions about fairness, transparency and equal opportunity in the recruitment process.
Mwabu called for a complete overhaul of the health worker recruitment process ahead of the government’s planned hiring of 2,600 personnel.
“The 2026 recruitment exercise presents an important opportunity to strengthen confidence in the health workforce system by addressing the concerns that emerged during the 2024 and 2025 recruitment processes,” he stated.
To address the problems, Mwabu proposed a total shift in how candidates were selected, arguing that the current method must be discarded to allow for a credible process.
“MQHZ therefore calls for the complete abandonment of the database system in the 2026 recruitment exercise. The selection of candidates must be conducted through a transparent, merit-based and accountable process that can be trusted by health professionals and the Zambian public,” he said.
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Mwabu also made another key recommendation relating to how long applicants had waited since completing training, saying seniority in qualification should be prioritized.
“Another important consideration in the 2026 recruitment exercise should be the year of completion of training. Many qualified health professionals have remained unemployed for several years after completing their training despite meeting all professional requirements,” he said.
“A fair recruitment system should recognise those who have waited the longest for an opportunity to serve the nation. At a time when many health facilities continue to experience shortages of essential health workers, Zambia cannot afford to have qualified professionals remaining outside the health system,” he added.
He further urged the Government to address the concerns raised during the 2024 and 2025 recruitment exercises, including allegations of corruption, procedural weaknesses and other irregularities, through appropriate review and investigation by the relevant authorities.
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