Malawi Medical Council Disciplines Practitioners and Institutions Over Patient Safety Breaches

The Medical Council of Malawi has found 13 healthcare professionals and institutional offices guilty of serious professional misconduct, including performing procedures without informed consent, practising beyond authorised scope, falsifying records, and failing to protect patient documentation.

The Council released the determinations under Section 53 of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Act after hearing 21 cases. Thirteen resulted in guilty verdicts, seven in not-guilty findings, and one was referred. Seventeen cases came from public facilities and four from private ones. The Council said the published cases carry significant implications for professional practice, patient safety and healthcare delivery.

Named individuals and offices found guilty include:

Andrew Master Mwale, Clinical Officer at Kamuzu Central Hospital, was found guilty of failing to consult a pathologist despite knowing the medicolegal complexity of a post-mortem examination. He received a written warning, was ordered to complete a continuing professional development (CPD) session on ethics and professionalism, fined the full cost of the investigation, and instructed to comply with the Council’s 2024 circular on post-mortems.

At Katoto MASM MEDI Clinic, the Officer In-Charge was found guilty of failing to establish and maintain proper documentation and filing systems and of failing to provide adequate resources. Penalties included a written warning, a fine of 50 percent of investigation costs, and a mandatory CPD session on ethics and professionalism focused on medicines and supplies.

At Good Hope Medical Centre Limited:

Dr Enette Chipungu, Obstetrician and Gynaecology Specialist, was found guilty of converting a surgical procedure from a transvaginal to a transabdominal approach without the patient’s informed consent.

Nelson Msiska, Clinical Officer, was found guilty of conducting a procedure without obtaining the patient’s informed consent.

The Managing Director was found guilty of presiding over surgical procedures conducted without patients’ informed consent.

All three received written warnings, were required to complete CPD sessions on informed consent under the 2022 Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, and were fined 30 percent of investigation costs. The hospital was also ordered to improve its informed-consent forms.

Mr Duncan Chifuniro Banda, Medical Assistant at Bwaila Hospital, was found guilty of inducing labour with an excessively high dose of misoprostol, performing a procedure beyond his scope of practice without supervision, and engaging in the unauthorised sale of misoprostol. He received a written warning, mandatory CPD on induction of labour (to be supervised by a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist), a fine of 50 percent of investigation costs, deregistration as an intern clinical officer requiring an 18-month supervised internship at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, and an order to refund MK15,000 to the complainant.

Institutional offices held responsible for systemic failures included:

The Office of the Facility In-charge at Area 25 Health Centre (loss of patient records).

The Office of the Director of Health Services at Lilongwe District Hospital (loss of patient records).

The Office of the Director of Health and Sanitation Services at Rumphi District Hospital (failure to establish and implement appropriate patient-transfer protocols).

The Office of the District Medical Officer at Rumphi District Hospital (failure to provide a report on a patient’s cause of death and failure to establish safe patient-transfer protocols).

These offices received written warnings, orders to develop improved systems, and, in some cases, fines of 30 percent of investigation costs. One matter was also referred to the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi.

Mr Sangwani Chirwa, Anaesthetic Nurse Therapist at Rumphi District Hospital, was found guilty of failing to conduct a comprehensive pre-procedure assessment, inadequate post-operative monitoring, inappropriate patient handover, and providing anaesthesia services below the expected standard of care. He received a written warning, CPD requirements, a fine of 30 percent of investigation costs, and referral to the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi.

At Chitipa District Hospital:

Mr Sydney Mkandawire, Intern Clinical Officer, was found guilty of submitting falsified internship reports to the Council and forging a signature. He received a written warning, a CPD session on ethics, deregistration for two-and-a-half years, a requirement to complete an extended 18-month internship at a central hospital if seeking to return to practice, and a fine of 30 percent of investigation costs.

Dr Victor Matumbo, Principal Medical Officer, was found guilty of the deliberate approval of the falsified internship reports. He received a written warning, suspension for two-and-a-half years, a CPD requirement, and a fine of 30 percent of investigation costs.

The determinations were issued by Dr Davie B.S. Zolowere, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Medical Council of Malawi. The Council stated that the rulings form part of its mandate to protect the public and guide medical, dental and allied health professions in the country.