The largest department in the hospital with a bed capacity of 250 but admits up to 500 patients during the malaria season. The paediatrics department is undergoing change to improve its capacity to treat children efficiently and effectively. Of late this department has undergone tremendous re-organisation and is now having a departmental specific case fatality rate of 3% from 6%

 Our services in the department are management of

•Level III Neonatal ICU

•Very low birth-weight babies management 

•Critical care for new born

•Complete Paediatric management

•Vaccinations

•Kangaroo Mother Care

•Wheezy Child Management

•Asthma management

•Management of HIV and opportunistic infections

•Management of  Severe Malnutrition

•Management of infectious diseases

•Management of paediatric tropical diseases

You can access our services through outpatient patient from 7.30am to 5.00 pm or emergency services provided 24 hours everyday

Days and Times when Specialists are available

Specialists are available every day and there is 24 hour coverage of consultants

Our Vision

To be the leading health care provider for children in Malawi and Strive to be an accredited centre of excellence for training of all categories of child health professionals

 Mission Statement

Commitment to provision of quality health care, teach and undertake research and improve the health of children in Malawi by supporting members and policymakers to build on evidence based practices.

 Activities

- Clinical

•24 hour outpatient services

•General medical Clinic on Wednesdays at 11am

•Chest Clinic Thursday Morning at 1030 am

•Handover meetings weekdays at 8am

•Daily Ward Rounds

•Histopath/clinical meeting on Fridays at 130pm

 - Training

•3rd Year medical student training MBBS from College of Medicine

•Nursing Student supervision, (NMT, RNM) from Kamuzu College of Nursing

•Diploma in Clinical Medicine Students year 2 and 3 from Malawi College of Health Sciences

 - Research

Type of Staff

•Paediatricians 

•Medical Officers 

•Clinical Officers 

•Registered Nurse Midwives

•Nurse Midwife Technicians

Days and Times when Specialists are available

Specialists are available every day and there is 24 hour coverage of consultants

 Type of Patients

The Paediatric department sees patients aged up to 15 years. Older patients with chronic conditions may still be under paediatric care until they have been handed over for continuity of care by the adult medical team.

In the neonatal ward which admits newborns born within KCH or referred from within the region. The most common reasons for admission in this neonatal unit are Prematurity, Asphyxia and Infection.

In the general paediatric wards, infections such as pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoeal disease contribute towards the majority of outpatient visits and inpatients. Cardiac disease is not uncommon with relative numbers of haematology/oncology conditions, surgical emergencies and congenital disease commonly neural tube defects. Management of HIV exposed or infected children are supported by the Baylor College of Medicine.

 Location of the Department at the Hospital

The Department stretches from behind the PAM (Physical Assets Maintenance) building, adjacent to the surgical HDU and the Chapel.

The neonatal unit is located within the Ethel Mutharika Maternity Building

 Target Audience

All Malawians, Hospital Staff, Training Institutions, Ministry of Health and relevant Ministries, Policy makers, Clinical and Nursing Volunteers, Well Wishers, The Donor Community

 Collaboration Partners

• Cincinatti Children’s Medical Centre

• Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation