Health Ministry describes purported reports of 3,500 job losses as misrepresentation of facts

The Ministry of Health has dismissed as false and misleading media reports suggesting that 3,500 workers risked losing their jobs due to shifts in donor funding.

Permanent Secretary for Donor Coordination, Dr. George Sinyangwe, said on Thursday that the claims were a “blatant misrepresentation” of facts.

“The Ministry of Health wishes to stress that this is a blatant distortion of facts. As a matter of fact, the Ministry does not discuss bilateral issues with third-party entities,” Sinyangwe said in a statement.

He clarified that at no point had the Ministry announced that 3,500 workers would be laid off. Instead, the reports appeared to stem from a leaked confidential letter sent to employees on one-year contracts under a Cooperative Agreement, reminding them of the annual expiry of their contracts on September 30.

“This practice is not new. Renewal of contracts has always depended on need for expertise, past performance, and the availability of funding,” he explained.

Sinyangwe added that the Ministry, working with the United States, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other partners, is currently reviewing which positions require renewal based on program needs and funding availability.

He further assured citizens that essential services in HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria response remain secured through efficient allocation, management, and continued collaboration with key partners, including the U.S. Government.

Commenting on the leaked correspondence, Dr. Sinyangwe described the incident as regrettable, warning that the practice of sharing confidential government documents with the media must stop.

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