Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Kuhes) has graduated its first 102 students in various medical programmes as an autonomous university following its establishment as part of reforms that unbundled the University of Malawi (Unima).
During the first congregation graduation in Blantyre, Kuhes Vice-Chancellor Macpherson Mallewa said yesterday that the university has received about K4.7 billion from the World Bank to address the proliferation of substandard and falsified medical drugs in the country.
He said Kuhes plans to use K3.7 billion for surveillance and detection of fake medicine while K1 billion will cover preliminary works towards the roll out of a plant to manufacture medicines.
Mallewa said surveillance and detection of fake medicine will be key in fighting proliferation of the drugs in the country.
Kuhes’ efforts come hot on the heels of a report in August 2024 carried by The Guardian of the United Kingdom showing that Malawi has 88 percent prevalence rate of substandard and falsefied medicine, the highest in Africa.
Said Mallewa: “Kuhes trains people on how to prescribe, administer and make quality medicines, and as an institution that trains people how to detect substandard medicine, we were touched by the sentiments and media reports.”
He also said the university will provide free refresher training in private companies that produce medicine in Malawi to ensure that only quality medicine reaches patients.
During the congregation, President Lazarus Chakwera was installed as Chancellor of Kuhes.
Speaking before presenting certificates, diplomas and degrees to 63 female and 39 male graduands, the President urged them to aim for a transformative impact when they leave the university.
“I call on you to rise to the challenge that lies in front of you. It is a challenge to go beyond employment and aim for impact,” he said.
Another key highlight of Kuhes’ maiden inauguration was when the Chendawaka family of Kasungu, relations of founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a medical doctor who envisioned establishment of the medical school in the country, presented Kamuzu’s trademark fly whisk to Kuhes through Kasungu Central legislator Ken Kandodo for use during such ceremonies.
Chakwera, who received the fly whisk, received a round of applause when he waved it in the air, invoking memories of Kamuzu among the older generation in the audience.
The Chancellor was then seen tapping every graduand with the fly whisk, a departure from the traditional handshakes.
Kuhes also launched its anthem and flag and unveiled a strategic plan, mission and vision.
The ceremony also celebrated five female students who graduated with distinctions, namely Lucy Gama, Tumbikani Njakwa, Tilire Phiri and Sellah Shaba in university certificate in midwifery and Taonga Ayanda Kanyenda in bachelor of science in health management.
Kuhes, an amalgamation of former constituent colleges of Unima namely, College of Medicine and Kamuzu College of Nursing, was one of the two new public universities borne out of unbundling of Unima.
The other is Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences, formerly The Polytechnic. The process saw Chancellor College in Zomba becoming a stand-alone Unima.
