Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Malawi Job Seekers Injured in Stampede for Interviews

Lameck Masina

   BLANTRYE, MALAWI - In Malawi, hundreds of job seekers have been injured
   in stampedes at walk-in recruitment drives for the Ministry of Health.
   Thousands thronged interview venues across the country, violating
   social distancing guidelines, after the ministry said anyone who
   graduated from school could get an interview on the spot.

   Job seeker Doreen Changamala told VOA the stampede in Blantyre started
   when people were scrambling to collect registration forms which
   everyone was required to fill out before the interviews.

   Changamala says she didn't manage to get the form and instead returned
   home.

   Speaking via a messaging appshe said,"It was almost impossible to
   collect a form because of the commotion as people were even fighting to
   get one."She saidthe person distributing the forms was just throwing
   them, for fear of being mishandled by the crowd.

   Changamala saidpolice had to use teargas to disperse the crowd.

   Stampedes took place in Blantyre, Mzuzu, Mulanje and in the capital,
   Lilongwe.

   Officials at Mzuzu Central Hospital in northern Malawi said more than
   80 people were brought in with injuries, some requiring X-rays and
   operations.

   Many of those seeking jobs came without face masks, raising the
   possibility that more people will get infected with the coronavirus.

   As of Tuesday, Malawi had confirmed 443 COVID-19 cases with 4 deaths.

   Medical workers have faulted the health ministry for ignoring social
   distancing measures.

   The president of the Society of Medical Doctors in Malawi, Victor
   Mithi, told a local station that the development is disappointing.

   "Knowing that there is a higher level of unemployment in Malawi, one
   would then expect that calling for such an interview would act as a
   harboring area of COVID-19 spread," he said.

   Job interviews have continued despite calls from health rights
   activists to suspend them until the COVID-19 crisis is contained.

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