Malawi health minister warns clinicians who force patients pay in public hospitals

Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume has moved in swiftly to warn clinicians that they would be fired if they force patients pay money in public hospitals.

The minister made an impromptu visit to Nsanje where he visited heath centres where people complained that they were forced to pay for services in public hospitals.

He also visited Nsanje District Hospital in order to thoroughly investigate the matter that has potential to cause political backlash.

“Services in public hospitals remain free. We are dealing with this issue as a matter of urgency.,” said Kumpalume.

“ Clinicians should not take public hospitals as their own private clinics, the government will deal with them,” he warned.

The visit of the minister comes barely days after some people in the district alleged they were asked to pay money ranging from K5000 to K15000.

Before going to Nsanje, Kumpalume visited cholera patients.

He said although 10 people have died and 191 people were affected, the cholera cases are going down as there were only 28 patients as of Wednesday.

There are over 200 cholera cases countrywide.

Meanwhile, Lilongwe has recorded its first cholera on Wednesday.

Officials from Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe say the patient is on isolated ward at the hospital. They say he is a businessman and is suspected to have got the disease from Machinga where he went recently on a business trip