Ministry of Health and Sanitation has given Mwaiwathu Private Hospital and Blantyre Adventist Hospital five-star ratings under its Step Wise Quality Improvement Programme assessment focusing on quality of service and infrastructure.
The programme also evaluates health facilities on equipment, leadership, patient outcomes, feedback and quality of care.
excited. | MacMillan Mhone
Following the two Blantyre-based private hospitals are Zomba Mental Hospital and Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery with four-star ratings.
In an interview yesterday, Step Wise programme manager Selemani Kondowe confirmed the ratings, but said they are preliminary because the ministry plans to hold a ceremony to present the awards.
He said that 63 tertiary and secondary facilities were assessed this year and full results will be announced during the awards ceremony.
Kondowe said the Step Wise Quality Improvement Programme currently assesses 215 tertiary, secondary and primary facilities with plans to expand to 800 health facilities nationwide.
Reacting to the rating, Mwaiwathu Private Hospital medical services manager Symon Chiumia attributed the improvement from three stars in 2024 to five stars to teamwork and strengthened commitment to providing quality services.
“We are excited to get the high rating and patients should feel comfortable that we have in place mechanisms to continue serving them well,” he said.
Chiumia further said the facility wants to maintain the five-star rating and pursue international accreditation through the Council for Health Services Accreditation of Southern Africa.
Last year, Blantyre Adventist 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.
Queen Elizabeth Central in Blantyre and Kamuzu Central in Lilongwe received two-star ratings.
