The Ministry of Health and Wellness has frozen transfers of nurses and midwives from rural to urban areas it has emerged.
According to a savingram seen by The Telegraph, signed by K.D Modisaeman on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and addressed to Coordinators of District Management Health Teams and Hospital Superintendents, the Ministry has made a decision to defer all transfers on swapping basis.
The ministry explained that on 8th January 2021 it released a savingram to facilitate a request for recommendations for transfer of single qualified nurses and general nurses with midwifery qualifications.
This, the ministry said, was aimed at facilitating a more efficient way of deploying nurses and midwives for the exigency of service.
This was also in line with the strategic direction of Nursing and Midwifery 2020 to 2024, for provision of quality care to the nation by ensuring proper deployment of nurses and midwives.
Since the release of the said request, the Ministry states that it has been inundated with high numbers of officers in these categories requesting for transfers on swapping basis.
The realisation is that these requests are to urban and peri urban areas and none to remote and rural areas. The ministry said the process for instituting transfers of nurses and midwives as requested has started and as such it would be cumbersome to conduct a parallel transfer process.
“In view of the above submission the ministry has made a decision to defer all transfers on swapping basis until further notice. Also note that notices of intention to transfer letters and transfer letters of nurses with post basic qualifications continue to be released,” the ministry said.
