By Wendy Mkandawire
The Ministry of Health has announced that starting August 2026, it will begin recruiting 2,500 health workers across the country. Additional staff will also be employed through government-to-government arrangements.
Speaking during the launch of the Optional Paying Section at Kasungu District Hospital on Monday 4th August 2026, the Minister of Health said the recruitment is one way of addressing challenges in the health sector.
“Bringing in more health workers will ease the burden that health care workers are currently facing,” the Minister said.
Baloyi also assured Malawians that the new paying section does not mean the end of free public health services in Malawi.
“Patients will have the choice to decide where to access services,” she said.
She said under the government of Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, authorities have been advocating for reforms aimed at improving health service delivery.
“We have been advocating that district hospitals should have a paying side where people who are able to pay, and those on medical schemes, can access services. This will not burden the free services that the government provides to all Malawians,” she added.
The Minister urged other hospitals to emulate Kasungu District Hospital to help improve health services across the country.
She further said that Revenue realized from the paying section will assist the free section to buy drugs and other medical essentials.
In his remarks, Noel Mkubwi, Member of Parliament for Kasungu Municipality Constituency, appreciated the council’s efforts to introduce the paying ward.
He, however, asked the Ministry of Health to also address other challenges at the hospital, saying congestion remains a major problem.
“The need to construct additional wards is urgent stating that the ward that was designed for 34 people is now accommodating hundreds of patients,” Mkubwi said.
The new Optional Paying Section at Kasungu District Hospital was constructed at a cost of 
K1.2 billion, with funding from the World Bank through the GESD Project.
