JKCI leaves Form 4, 6 certificates out of vetting process

Dar es Salaam. The director of Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute (JKCI), Prof Mohammed Janabi, said yesterday that his institution would not consider secondary school certificates during a vetting process for public servants.

Instead, it would focus on professional certificates for undergraduate and post-graduate courses in an effort to crack down on ghost workers. “I am not against the government’s plan to crack down on ghost workers, I wouldn’t wish to penalise a medical doctor, who officially went through all academic ranks, but only failed during his O-Level exams,” he said.

Prof Janabi was speaking during a meeting that brought together staff members of JKCI and Muhimbili National Hospital to discuss the welfare of health care professionals.

His remarks come at a time, when the ministry of Public Service Management and Good Governance has ordered all institutions in the government to remove ghost workers, who are costing the government  billions of shillings every month.

“There is an outcry in the country for a shortage of human resources. If I would just penalise a medical doctor, who has studied up to Master’s Degree for under-performing during his/her secondary school exams, that would be like adding a burden to another burden,” he further noted.

The don, who was former President Jakaya Kikwete’s personal physician, noted that it was high time health care professionals formed a strong trade union that would help address the challenges in their field.

The chairperson of the Tanzania Medical Dental and Pharmaceutical Workers Union, Dr Raymond Mwenesano told the meeting that trade unions were a better option as organs that could negotiate with the government and protect their interests as workers, than professional bodies.