As health workers across Malawi embark on a nationwide strike, demanding improved working conditions, President Lazarus Chakwera is set to leave the country for the Bahamas.
The strike has already affected healthcare services at major hospitals, including Zomba, Mzuzu and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospitals.
At Mzuzu Urban Health Centre, striking health workers were seen dancing to music, while patients looked on in desperation.
Women with sick children were seen crying, unable to access medical attention.
The situation is similar at Zomba Central Hospital, where a skeleton staff is attending to emergencies only.
National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives in Malawi (NONM) South East Zone Chairperson, Brian Muhimele, says the government has failed to address their grievances, including allowances and better working conditions.
As President Chakwera departs for the Bahamas, the country is left to grapple with the impact of the strike on vulnerable patients.
The strike is a culmination of long-standing tensions between health workers and the government, which has failed to address their concerns.
