Malawi National Health Policy 2017

The National Health Policy provides policy direction on key issues that are central to the development and functioning of the health system in Malawi. The Policy has been developed in line with the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi which stipulates that the State is obliged “to provide adequate health care, commensurate with the health needs of Malawian society and international standards of health care”1. In this respect, the Constitution guarantees all Malawians highest quality healthcare services within the limited resources available.

The policy has also been developed in line with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS), an overall development plan for Malawi which recognizes that a healthy and educated population is essential if Malawi is to achieve sustainable socio-economic growth. The Policy is also aligned to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Policy outlines a coordinated approach of the Government of Malawi to achieve the health sector goals which are: - to improve the health status of all Malawians; to ensure that the population is satisfied with the health services that they receive; and to ensure that the population does not suffer avoidable financial and social risks in the process of accessing health care at any level of the health care delivery system.

The National Health Policy will be implemented through the following priority areas: Health Service Delivery; Leadership and Governance; Health Financing; Human Resources for Health; Medicines, Medical Supplies, Medical Equipment and Infrastructure; Social Determinants of Health; and Health Information and Research.