THE Ministry of Health has been named in the latest Auditor General’s report for recruiting health workers who did not meet official requirements or qualifications.
The report revealed that millions of kwacha were also paid to unqualified staff.
According to the 2024 report, the Ministry, through the Civil Service Commission, recruited 4,029 health workers from the 2023 recruitment database, prioritising volunteers who had served during the recent cholera outbreak.
The Auditor General’s review found that 11 recruits had fake National Registration Cards (NRCs) with district codes not approved by the National Registration Office and they received a total of K374,010 in salaries.
The ministry also recruited five workers who were above the official age limit of 45.
The overage recruits even received K258,440 in salaries despite being between 46 and 47 years old.
The report further revealed that 197 recruits were not registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia (NMCZ) or the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ), with no valid practicing licenses.
“A review of the records of the successful candidates revealed that eleven (11) candidates had NRC numbers with district codes that were not on the approved list by the National Registration Office,” stated the report.
“During the period under review, the officers were paid salaries in amounts totalling K374,010. Recruitment of Officers Above 45 Years Section 8 (b) of the Terms and Conditions of Service for the Public Service of 2023 states, “No person below the age of eighteen (18) years or above the age of forty-five (45) years shall be appointed on probation.”
In addition, 186 candidates selected to report for duty did not show up in 2024 and the Ministry had not replaced them as of August this year.
“On 27th January 2025, the Ministry notified the selected candidates to report for duty by 28th February 2025. However, 186 candidates who did not report for work had not been replaced as at 31s August 2025,” read the report.
Payroll records also showed that 18 staff members were added under positions that differed from those approved by the Treasury.
“A comparison of the positions on the Treasury Authority to the positions created on the payroll system revealed that eighteen (18) officers were introduced on the payroll on positions that were different from those on the approved Treasury Authority,” stated the report.
By Catherine Pule
Picture for illustration
Kalemba, October 3, 2025
