By Pemphero Malimba

The Medical Council of Malawi (MCM) has announced the phasing out of Medical Assistants (MA) training in the country.

MCM registrar and Chief Executive Officer Davie Zolowere announced this in a letter dated May 11, 2025.

The letter has been directed to various institutions including Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology and Mzuzu University.

He says the move was taken to improve service quality at the primary level of health care, which he said was in line with Malawi 2063 vision goals.

“As you are aware, Malawi aspires to become a middle-income country by 2063. Strengthening the healthcare system to ensure equitable access to quality health services is critical to achieving this goal. A robust primary healthcare system forms the foundation for effective community health and is an essential pillar for secondary healthcare delivery,” Zolowere says.

Zolowere says evidence indicates that health centres achieve improved patient outcomes and more efficient utilisation of medical resources when they are led and staffed by clinical officers and medical doctors

He indicates that 2025 intake will be the final intake of the medical assistants training.

“From 2026 onwards, training institutions will no longer be permitted to enrol MA programmes. Institutions continuing to enrol students in MA programmes after 2025 will face regulatory consequences including non-recognition of their graduates,” he says.

Meanwhile, health rights activist Maziko Matemba has said he believes the council has made the move through an evidence-based approach.