President Arthur Peter Mutharika has issued Executive Order No. 1 of 2026 banning public health workers from soliciting payments from patients and ordering them to relinquish ownership in private clinics and pharmacies within 30 days.
The order, issued on February 16, 2026, follows investigations by several local media houses that revealed patients in public hospitals were being asked to pay bribes for services that are supposed to be free.
The findings exposed widespread malpractice, including staff advising patients to visit private clinics for faster or better care. The directive seeks to protect citizens’ constitutional right to access health services without discrimination or financial exploitation.
“As President of the Republic of Malawi, I am entrusted with the solemn duty to uphold and defend the Constitution of Malawi,” Mutharika said, emphasizing the need to safeguard citizens’ access to healthcare.
The President said he was “deeply disturbed” by the reports of corruption and unethical conduct in public health facilities. He described the solicitation of payments as an affront to patients’ rights and wholly unacceptable in a democratic society.
“Such conduct is unlawful, unethical, and wholly unacceptable. It is an affront to the patient’s constitutional right to access health services,” the order adds, highlighting the seriousness of the issue.
Under the order, no employee of a government hospital or any other public health facility shall solicit, demand, or accept fees or monetary favours from patients. Anyone found engaging in such malpractice will be summarily dismissed and prosecuted under the laws of Malawi.
In addition, the directive bars public health workers from owning, operating, or holding shares in private health clinics or pharmacies.
“Any employee currently holding such ownership or shares must divest within thirty (30) days from the date of this Executive Order. Failure to comply shall result in dismissal and further legal action as appropriate,” Mutharika said.
