Health Minister Bans Group Consultations in Hospitals
Published on March 9, 2026 at 2:00 PM by Edgar Naitha
Health Minister Madalitso Baloyi has directed health workers to stop conducting group consultations with patients, saying the practice violates patients’ rights and compromises confidentiality.
The directive follows an undercover visit she conducted on Sunday at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe, where she posed as a patient using a pseudo name.
During the visit, Baloyi says she was ushered into a consultation room together with seven other women to meet medical personnel at the same time.
She said such arrangements discourage patients, especially women, from openly explaining their medical conditions.
Director of Health Services for Lilongwe District, Dr Wilson Ching’ani, says long waiting hours in public hospitals are caused by high patient numbers compared to available health workers.
Meanwhile, Malawi Health Equity Network Executive Director George Jobe has welcomed the move, saying it could improve accountability and service delivery in public health facilities.
