Kapiri Hospital Recognized for Excellence in Healthcare

The Ministry of Health has commended the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Kapiri Community Hospital for its significant strides in improving healthcare standards. The facility has been awarded a three-star rating, a testament to its dedication to patient care and operational excellence.

Sister-in-charge of the facility, sister Jovita Protazio of Carmelite Missionaries sisters, has attributed the hospital’s success to teamwork, dedication, and a commitment to continuous learning.

“The secret to much of it is teamwork and also the dedication of the health workers and also collaboration of some of the donors of goodwill,” she explained. “Because most of this health service delivery needs finance. So, with the support of some donors, especially the GIZ, we are very grateful. They support us very much. But mostly it’s teamwork and dedication of the health workers of any kind.”

However, the hospital, like many others in Malawi, faces challenges, primarily a severe shortage of healthcare workers.

“We have very few workers. Of course, they are very dedicated. But the shortage is very critical,” Sr. Protazio added. “So, we have to look into the shortage, to deal with the shortage and also to motivate the staff that they will continue offering quality health services.”

Sr. Jovita concluded that the hospital aims to build on this success and strive for even higher standards in the future.

Meanwhile, Maziko Matemba, a representative of Civil Society Organizations, emphasized the need for transparency and performance-based recognition.

“Our expectation is to look at the accountability of the health system review and most especially, as you know, the Ministry of Health have this innovation of providing best performing districts or facilities,” Matemba said. “I think it’s the way to go. Our civil society will also be looking why the public sector may be at star number two and that the private sector is at number three. So, our civil society organization here and the networks will be interrogating on how we can improve services so that people get the best service out of their activities.”

Matemba also stressed the importance of adequate funding for the health sector.

“As you know, issues which was presented that we still have little resources for the sector, despite that we are pushing for more resources for health. So, our role is to make sure that we have more money for the sector, but also there’s efficient use of money so that the people out there, they also get the best services,” he added.

The Ministry of Health’s recognition of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Kapiri Community Hospital is a significant step forward for healthcare in Malawi. It highlights the importance of recognizing and rewarding excellence in healthcare delivery, while also emphasizing the need for continued improvement and increased investment in the sector.

The meeting marked a significant milestone in Malawi’s healthcare sector, with the Ministry of Health recognizing and rewarding top-performing facilities. Blantyre Adventist Hospital was honoured as the best-performing facility, receiving a five-star rating.

Several other hospitals were also recognized for their achievements. Likuni Mission Hospital, Kamuzu Central Hospital, and Kabudula Community Hospital were among those awarded a two-star rating.