Physician Assistants Union of Malawi (PAUM) has issued a stern warning that it will take a legal action against directors of health and social services who are allegedly forcing its members to work without protective kits.

Physicians in the country downed tools on Monday, April 13, in a bid to force government to provide safe working conditions amid Coronavirus pandemic.

President for PAUM, Solomon Chomba, said forcing its members to work in unsafe conditions is a violation of constitutional rights of health workers in the country.

Chomba said: “We have reports that some employers are threatening our health workers and force them to work in unsafe environment and that’s committing homicide and we are following it with keen interest.”

He therefore urged the concerned health workers to report whenever they are victimized so that proper action can be taken.

Chomba further said, currently they are just waiting for government to respond to their demands in order for them to resume work.

On April 11, nurses at Kamuzu Central (KCH) and Bwaila hospitals in Lilongwe also downed their tools as one way of forcing government to provide them with risk allowances and protective wear amid corona virus pandemic.

On April 7 NONM wrote the District Commissioners and Hospital Directors informing them that their members were withdrawing their services for safety reasons within the meaning of section 2 of the Labour Relations Act.