Public health facilities in the country are far behind their private sector peers in terms of provision of quality care to patients, a Ministry of Health Step Wise Quality Improvement Programme assessment has shown.
The assessment rates give star ratings to health facilities in the country based on National Quality of Care Standards comprising leadership and management, diagnostics, ancillary services and clinical services.
certificate from Mndolo
In the assessment, most key public hospitals, were given a two-star rating. They include Queen Elizabeth Central in Blantyre, Kamuzu Central in Lilongwe as well as Ntcheu, Dedza and Machinga district hospitals.
Blantyre Adventist Hospital (BAH) was the overall winner with a five-star rating followed by four Christian Health Association of Malawi facilities with three-star tags, namely Nkhoma Mission Hospital in Lilongwe, Mua Mission Hospital in Dedza, St John of God in Mzuzu and Our Lady of Mount Carmel also known as Kapiri Mission Hospital in Mchinji.
Announcing the awards in Lilongwe yesterday during a Joint Health Sector Annual Review Meeting, Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Samuel Mndolo described the programme as a good initiative that will guide the ministry to improve.
He said: “This gives me work to do to improve the quality of care being provided in the facilities.”
In his reaction, BAH chief executive officer Kilby Kasinja attributed the hospital’s performance to team work.
“We are happy to emerge on five stars with the rest trailing from three stars down to two stars,” he said.
The awards were introduced in 2017, but were revamped in 2023 and this is the first time the facilities have been awarded in this manner.
According to Mndolo, only 180 health facilities were assessed.
He said: “This initiative will create pos i tive competition among facilities. Those that are two stars now will want to be at three stars or more next time, and in the process this will improve on service delivery.”
