17/02/2026
Comments on Executive Order No. 1 – Private Hospital Ownership and Health Service Integrity
We begin by appreciating and commending the decisive action taken by the President of the Republic of Malawi Arthur Peter Mutharika in issuing Executive Order No. 1.
The chronicity of corruption within the healthcare system is contrary to the decorum and calling of the medical profession, the principles of the Hippocratic Oath, and the very essence of healthcare work.
Acts such as soliciting payments from patients or directing them to private interests undermine the nobility of the profession and must be addressed both legally and socially.
Healthcare workers are entrusted to save lives, protect communities, and serve as instruments of social justice. Any infringement upon a patient’s rights—whether based on political alignment, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, tribe, s*x, or other personal attributes—is a clear breach of professional conduct.
While this measure is timely, necessary, and highly appreciated, it is also important to recognize the challenges that may have driven some healthcare workers into private practice, operating private pharmacies, or other alternative forms of healthcare service.
Such situations often arise from inadequate compensation, poor working conditions, excessive patient loads, and a collapsing healthcare system that lacks essential equipment, creating a mismatch between a healthcare worker’s skills and what they are able to deliver.
For many, private practice has become a practical means to upgrade their skills, provide quality services, and offer alternative options to patients who deserve better care while sustaining themselves within the system. Without a clear policy to isolate the two it is indeed clear to map presence or lack of personal interest.
Therefore, this Executive Order should not be viewed solely as a mechanism to regulate hospital practices. It should also be considered a starting point for broader systemic improvements in public healthcare delivery.
By addressing underlying challenges, strengthening resources, and creating supportive working conditions, the government can ensure that public healthcare professionals are empowered to serve patients ethically and effectively.
There is confidence, honor, and trust that the President, alongside the Ministry of Health, will advance in this direction, and we stand ready to support these efforts wherever possible.
