For Malawians already battling soaring food prices, transport costs and shrinking incomes, the cost of staying healthy could soon become the next financial burden.
Parliament’s approval of new import duties on essential medicines in the 2026/27 National Budget has raised fears that the prices of common treatments could rise, forcing more families to dig deeper into their pockets for drugs they cannot afford to live without.
Under the revised tariff structure, imported Amoxicillin 250mg capsules and 125mg dry suspension will attract a 20 percent import duty, while Artemether-Lumefantrine, the country’s most widely used malaria treatment, as well as common painkillers such as Paracetamol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen, will be subject to a 25 percent tariff.
The move has triggered fears among health advocates and policymakers that higher import costs will ultimately be passed on to consumers, making treatment less affordable for ordinary citizens.
For families already spending a significant portion of their income on food, transport and other basic necessities, an increase in medicine prices could force difficult choices between healthcare and other household needs.
Pharmacy and Medicines Regulatory Authority (PMRA) spokesperson Joseph Josiah confirmed that the authority had received communication regarding the tariff changes from government.
“I have seen the communication by government. PMRA, as a regulator, implements government policies and, as such, we cannot comment on the matter. The right entities to comment would be the Ministries of Trade and Finance,” Josiah said.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Anthony Masamba acknowledged that the tax increases could have consequences for healthcare access, particularly among vulnerable populations.
“Any increase in taxes on essential medicines has implications for access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups who already face economic challenges,” Masamba said.
Health rights advocate Maziko Matemba said the tariff adjustments come at a time when Malawi’s healthcare system continues to face funding constraints, with the national health budget allocation standing at 9.2 percent, below the 15 percent target set under the Abuja Declaration.
According to Matemba, while the policy could encourage local pharmaceutical production by making imported medicines less competitive, its immediate impact may be felt by consumers.
“Private pharmacies and clinics rely heavily on imported medicines. The additional costs are likely to be transferred directly to patients, increasing the price of basic treatments such as antibiotics, malaria drugs and painkillers,” he said.
Although supporters of the measure argue that it could stimulate growth in local manufacturing, critics warn that Malawi’s pharmaceutical industry currently lacks the capacity to meet national demand, meaning consumers could bear the burden of higher costs in the short term.
The government’s rationale for increasing tariffs on selected medicines remains unclear.
Efforts to obtain comment from Ministry of Finance spokesperson Williams Banda and Ministry of Health Principal Secretary Dan Namarika were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
