Medical Council of Malawi (MCM) Phase Out Medical Assistant Training. The Council has decided to phase out the training of Medical Assistants (MAS) in Malawi with the aim of improving service quality at the primary level of healthcare.
I am writing to formally communicate this decision and outline the next steps for implementation. 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.
Although MAs have traditionally formed the backbone of service provision at the primary level, the landscape of medical and clinical training has evolved significantly.
Today, we have a broader and more advanced cadre of healthcare providers. Moreover, evidence indicates that health centers achieve improved patient outcomes and more efficient utilization of medical resources when led and staffed by Clinical Officers (COs) and Medical Doctors (MDs).
The continued training of MAs diverts critical resources from building a more competent and sustainable clinical workforce for primary healthcare. If this misalignment in training priorities persists, rural and underserved communities will continue receiving suboptimal care, undermining Malawi’s long-term healthcare objectives.
Consequently, the Council has resolved to phase out the training of MAS in Malawi. Universities and colleges currently offering MA programs are required to implement this decision according to the following roadmap:
ROADMAP FOR PHASING OUT MA TRAINING:
1. FINAL INTAKE YEAR: 2025
a. 2025 will be the final year in which students may be admitted to MA programs.
2. NO NEW ENROLLMENTS FROM 2026
a. From 2026 onwards, training institutions will no longer be permitted to enroll new students into MA programs.
b. Institutions continuing to enroll students in MA programs after 2025 will face regulatory consequences, including non-recognition of their graduates.
c. Students admitted to MA programs beyond 2025 will neither be indexed, nor be eligible for registration or licensure to practice in Malawi upon graduation.
3. FINAL MA REGISTRATION YEAR BY MCM: 2028
a. 2028 will be the last year in which the Council will register new Medical Assistants.
TRANSITION AND UPGRADING OPPORTUNITIES:
• Universities and colleges are encouraged to prioritize upgrading the existing pool of MAs to higher cadres.
• Institutions are advised to develop customized upgrading programs for MAs, subject to the Council’s approval.
• From 2026, institutions offering clinical medicine programs should exclusively admit students at the Diploma in Clinical Medicine level or higher.
For further clarification or additional information, please contact the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer.
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