The Parliamentary Committee on Health has made fresh calls on the need for the country to suspend free medical services to the citizenry, saying it is suffocating the country's health sector.

Its chairperson, Dr. Mathews Ngwale, said this in Lilongwe during a 2025-2026 budget consultation organised by the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP) in collaboration with the Network of Journalists Living with HIV (JONEHA).

He believes changing or revising some policies in access to health services can assist in addressing challenges that the sector experiences.

"We need to stop giving free health care service in the country considering the inadequate budget allocation to the sector, drug pilferage, and neighbouring countries taking advantage of Malawi's free health service," he added.

Manet Plus Executive Director Lawrence Khonyongwa concurs with Ngwale, adding that there is a need to allocate more resources to the sector.

According to Khonyongwa, despite the government initiative to provide resources, it is not enough, and there is the need for Malawians to start paying for these services so that our health service is sustainable.

In the 2025-2026 national budget, the health sector was allocated K740 billion, which is 9.7 percent of the total national budget.