They cannot afford essential medicines like antibiotics, analgesics, etc. We are told health services are free to people in government hospitals. But what we are seeing is that there are no drugs in government hospitals. So patients are given prescriptions and are told to go and look for medicines in the commercial pharmacies and other private hospitals and private clinics. Due to high prices for the drugs in commercial pharmacies and private hospitals and clinics.
People can t get hold of medicines and are suffering as a result .
These have significantly consumed available resources due to patients prolonged stay in hospitals and the complexity of medical care requirements. All these factors have greatly limited the range and quality of services provided. More than one mission people in Malawi are HIV-positive. There is extreme overcrowding in all public hospitals in Malawi. Patients not only fill every bed, they sleep on the floor.