Minister of Health and Sanitation Madalitso Baloyi has vowed to crack down on corruption in public hospitals after an investigation exposed an alleged bribery network operating within Malawi’s healthcare system.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, Baloyi said the government would not allow malpractice to continue unchecked, declaring a zero-tolerance approach to officials accused of turning free public health services into a pay-to-access system.
A joint team of investigative journalists uncovered widespread corruption at major referral centres, including Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and Kamuzu Central Hospital, as well as district hospitals in Chiradzulu District, Thyolo District, and Likoma District.
The investigation found that security guards, clerks, and clinicians allegedly colluded to demand bribes ranging from K4,000 to K260,000 for access to treatment. Patients who could afford to pay were reportedly prioritised, while poorer citizens were left waiting or denied care.
Baloyi admitted that corrupt practices had become entrenched in parts of the system. “It has reached a point where people say this is how things are done. But I am saying no. The President has said no,” she told journalists after her address.
She said the ministry has initiated board-level action, established reporting channels for the public, and begun submitting evidence to the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Authorities are also working with regulatory bodies to tighten oversight and enforce disciplinary measures.
“I will not tolerate any corruption practices,” Baloyi said. “We must restore integrity in our hospitals and ensure every Malawian receives the care they are entitled to under the law.”
