As Malawi’s first, and largest, healthcare service provider, the Medical Aid Society of Malawi champions quality healthcare for all. We discuss accessibility and future growth with CEO, Sydney Chikoti Writer: Phoebe Harper | Project Manager: Callam Waller REACHCOVERCOMPREHENSIVEWITHIN
“The healthcare industry in Malawi remains underdeveloped, underregulated and with a very low penetration of less than one percent of the population.”
Rather like the steep peaks and trenches of the Great Rift Valley that shape the country’s topography, the landscape of Malawi’s healthcare sector is one defined by arduous challenges to overcome and hurdles to climb. This physical terrain itself represents a natural impediment to universal health coverage (UHC), with vast swathes of Malawi’s population residing in rural areas where remote access can be a major issue. The country’s primary care facilities are located in the most populous cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Mzuzu and Zomba, with smaller operations including rural clinics, dispensaries and health centres dotted throughout the rest of Malawi.
Since(MASM).itsestablishment in the 1960s, MASM has grown significantly from its roots as a small organisation to become a renowned household name. Indeed, MASM now holds over an 80 percent share of the national private health insurance market.
“MASM is the largest health insurance services provider in the country. We boast the largest service provider network, with over 300 Africa
As orator of this opening statement, Sydney Chikoti is fully alert to the fraught context and difficult predicament of Malawi’s current health care system. Chikoti sits as CEO of the country’s largest medical aid service provider, and a pioneering leader in the provision of affordable healthcare solutions for all Malawians.
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As is common to many areas in subSaharan Africa (SSA), Malawi must confront rising population levels in the face of an already overburdened healthcare system.
Enter the Medical Aid Society of Malawi
This truly national reach extends from the company’s head office in Blantyre, to two further offices in the northern region of Mzuzu and in Lilongwe, where MASM is strategically located to cater to the needs of local government and Malawi’s main corporate entities.
“Our staff complement has grown from 20 to over 100 in recent years. This excellent rate of growth has come about through our quest to always pro vide high-quality healthcare solutions to our members at affordable rates.”
CUSTOMER EXCELLENCE - Member satisfaction is the top priority.
shalomdentalservices@yahoo.com service providers that offer various healthcare services to the Malawian population in all four corners of the country,” introduces Chikoti.
MISSION – MASM endeavours to satisfy its members by providing innovative and affordable healthcare solutions through its wide network of service providers and efficient processes.
INNOVATIVE - Always finding the best ways to serve members and service providers.
MASM AT A GLANCE
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“This ensures that the majority of Malawians can pick what they can afford,” says Chikoti.
CORE INTEGRITYVALUES: - Moral uprightness defines the MASM way of doing business.
MASM members can choose from three different levels of membership –VIP, Executive, and EconoPlan – which
MASM offers a wide spectrum of products, ranging from premium to basic, affordable services, designed to cater to a varied populace.
EFFICIENT - Proficient process optimisation to the satisfaction of MASM members and service providers.
The society works as a memberowned and operated entity, presided over by the secretariat and CEO. The majority of MASM’s members are formal sector employees who prefer to receive medical treatment from private facilities where health insurance is applicable. Elsewhere, a growing number of parastatals and smaller firms contract MASM to administer health care service schemes on their behalf.
MEMBERSHIP AND SERVICE OFFERING
Shalom Dental Services Ltd Shalom Dental Services is one of the key service providers preferred by MASM. This goes to say that the majority of MASM members seek dental services from Shalom Dental Services. Shalom Dental Services got enlisted with MASM as a dental service provider in the year 2000 which happened to be the year that Shalom Dental Services was opened. The core values of Shalom Dental Services are integrity in conducting our business and keeping high standards. This has helped us to grow steadily. We now have seven dental surgeries and a fully equipped dental MASMlaboratory.has been a very good partner in our success. Since MASM is the largest Medical Aid service provider in the country, they have many members. We enjoy the patronage of their members at Shalom Dental Services. We actually treat more of MASM’s members than any other Medical Aid Insurance provider in the country. The other thing that we enjoy in our business partnership with MASM is their steadiness and faithfulness in monthly payments of our money after we tender claims to their account department. High standard dental services are provided at Shalom Dental Services. This raises the image of MASM as well because their members get satisfaction with our services. In this way we make sure that MASM members continue coming to Shalom Dental Services and also continue being members of MASM. Shalom Dental Services has high quality of dental equipment and dental laboratory equipment with well trained dentists and dental laboratory technologists. This is what MASM members would love to see.
“The society has also established links with strategic partners in South Africa and India to ensure seamless access to healthcare service facilities for its members who require such services in those countries,” he adds.
Mission Statement Our Services Our Objectives Our Achievements To provide the highest quality of dental services in the country. Our Motto SHALOM DENTAL SERVICES LTD Email: shalomdentalservices@yahoo.com Limbe Branch Aram Mall Building Opp. Ever Young Shop Churchill Road, Limbe (265) 01 843 764 (265) 0995 260 733 Blantyre Branch Pagat Mall Building Opp. Standard Bank Victoria Avenue, Blantyre Tel: (265) 01 832 256 (7) (265) 0993 374 555 Ginnery Corner Branch Pagat Place Opp. Universal Trading Johnstone Road (265) 01 875 601 (265) 0997 076 030 - Dental surgeries and laboratories. - Mobile dental vans. - Dental health education. - To provide detailed, excellent and affordable dental services in Malawi and beyond. - To provide free dental treatment to the underprivileged e.g. orphans, people with disabilities, the aged etc. - Reputable dental establishment in the country. - We have seven surgeries (units) in Blantyre located in three different places i.e. Limbe, BlantyreVictoria Avenue and Ginnery Corner. – We are now in the process of building our own purpose built facility. MANAGING DIRECTOR –Mark KondoweDENTAL CHAIR – Adec 500 Dentist treating patient on a dental chair To be the household name in dentistry in Malawi, Central Africa and beyond
are high-end to low-end schemes respectively.Inaddition, the company provides link-on products and tailor-made schemes to cater for a wider population, complementing valueadded services such as the MASM Emergency Medical Service. The latter provides a critical fleet of fully crewed and equipped ambulances. Other value-added services include the recent introduction of a USSD-based mobile service, funeral benefit cover, a dedicated pensioner’s account, the MASM@Ur Doorstep payment facility, and MASM Serve - a chronic medicine benefit facility that provides members with access to the appropriate medication.
“WE
–
Sydney Chikoti, CEO STRIVE TO PROVIDE MEMBER-CENTRIC PRODUCTS AS WE OFFER THE ULTIMATE HEALTHCARE SOLUTION TO ALL” SYDNEY CHIKOTI, CEO, MASM
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“We strive to provide membercentric products as we offer the ultimate healthcare solution to all,” Chikoti shares proudly. Aside from this, MASM continues to navigate people’s expectations of health insurance and the value of what it provides as a means of financing health“Thesecare.expectations may be whether health insurance represents value for money, issues of equity, to the role of possible demand-side factors such as income, education, sex, geographical location, marital status, age, health status, and dependents, with the supply side factors such as service quality, accessibility and risk, determining
MEDICAL AID SOCIETY OF MALAWI HEALTHCARE Africa Outlook issue 98 | 7
We at Dr. Anthony’s believe in the conception of providing honest, genuine, and upscale dental care irrespective of whether you are here for a consultation or on a more extensive procedure. We are always willing to spend quality time getting to know you, and understand your needs to cultivate an environment that either of us could Ourcherish.doctors ensure to explain all feasible treatment options best suited to resolve any of your dental problems and this very approach to delivering personalised care and experience one can count upon has blessed us to transcend in time.
1. VALIDITY CHECK – for checking whether the member is paid up or not; 2. BENEFIT UTILISATION CHECK – for checking how much a member has used on a particular service line year-to-date; and
9. CONTACTS – Contacts for MASM Head Office, Lilongwe Office and Mzuzu Office
www.dranthonysdentalclinicmw.com membership recruitment, this growth has not been significant in the past two years mostly due to the COVID19 pandemic, as businesses had to rethink their approach and shift priorities,” observes Chikoti. Regardless, MASM remains unwavering in its pursuit.
“We formed a subsidiary company with its own board management who are running a series of private clinics,” he explains. “They have the mandate to grow that business, since, in order for health insurance as an industry to grow, there have to be multiple private clinics.”Atpresent, the MASM Medi Clinics amount to five separate sites. Whilst this network is geared for expansion, its growth remains subject to the imposition of government regulations which may limit MASM from service provision.Byincreasing the number of private clinics in cities, rural areas, and villages, the value of such facilities becomes
MEMBER MODULE
3. SCHEME LIMIT CHECK– for checking how much of the overall scheme limit the member has used year-to-date.
Although Chikoti informs us that over 150,000 lives are currently covered through MASM’s health services, he recognises that this is just a tiny portion of Malawi’s entire population, which currently sits at roughly 18 million people.
10. CHANGE PIN – For changing PIN
GOING FOR GROWTH
4. MEMBERSHIP: a. Validity Check b. Benefit Utilisation Check c. Claims Check – shows claims that have been processed by the society for the current year for a particular member of a family 5. GROUP BALANCE – for checking group balances; 6. SCHEME LIMIT - for checking how much of the overall scheme limit the member has used year-to-date; 7. PREMIUMS – Contributions that members pay on VIP/VIO, EXE/EXO and ECO based on age ranges; 8. NOTICES – For relaying information to members
This module is intended to be used by health facilities as follows:
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the acquisition of membership in the schemes,” he elaborates.
Chikoti attributes MASM’s low penetration into the healthcare industry to the fact that the Malawian government provides complimentary medical services in government hospitals with no mandatory health insurance in place. As such, MASM must work with a population that is accustomed to having the government provide healthcare services for “Althoughfree.MASM membership has improved with multi-industry
This module is intended to be used by members as follows:
A host of challenges abound that threaten to hamper the progress of MASM’s ambitious growth agenda, as it continues to champion its vision of accessible healthcare for all Malawians.“Thereis a mixture of challenges and excitement in the industry, especially in strategising the buy-in of potential members while at the same time retaining the existing membership,” he comments.
MASM AND MOBILE SERVICE
MASM has implemented a USSD-based mobile service which works like MO626, EazyMobile, AirtelMoney or Mpamba. The service has two main components - the Service Provider Module and Member Module.
SERVICE PROVIDER MODULE
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SERVICES: MEDICAL AID SOCIETY OF MALAWI HEALTHCARE Africa Outlook issue 98 | 9
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“A practicedentalbuilt on trust to right thing” Dr. Anthony’s Dental Clinic is undeniably your one-stop for all dental solutions in Malawi. One of the most imperative objectives emphasized and implemented during the designing phase of the clinic was to ensure the availability of a pleasant ambiance whether it be in dealing with the clinic staff or while availing modern dentistry facilities with the keen address to quality, comfort, and professionalism. The clinic gained the trust of Malawians and foreigners over the decade with its ace treatments performed by its handpicked exemplary-cum-proficient dental team on state-of-the-art equipment facilitating expansion from its main branch at Area 3 to City Centre and Blantyre respectively. on website 3 BRANCHPlot # 3/898, Young Road Mtunthama Drive, P.O. Box - 1450 Lilongwe, Malawi Tel: 01 750 441 / 01 759 400 Cell: 0881 270 436 / 0994 741 931 CENTRE BRANCHCity Centre, Plaza House # 19/31, Crescent Road, Lilongwe, Malawi Tel: 01 776 130 Cell: 0993 757 724 / 0880 414 367 BRANCHDevelopment House, Henderson Street, P.O. Box 728 Blantyre, Malawi Tel: 01 820 774 Cell: 0996 256 948 / 0889 565 495
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college at the University of Malawi, which since 1991 has sought to alleviate the shortage of doctors. It is this same university where Chikoti himself spent many years of his career teaching finance and accounting, before transitioning into a role at National Insurance Company Limited (NICO), Malawi’s largest insurance company. As General Manager of NICO’s health insurance arm, Chikoti encountered MASM, since the company was using its administration services.Today, MASM supports the national education of healthcare professionals by partnering with public institutions such as the University of Malawi to offer internships for young students.
DIGITALISATIONACCELERATING
more obvious to the general popu lation. As private clinics, individuals may not have the financial capacity to access these services, which is where MASM has a critical role to play.
Continuing on the topic of the COVID19 pandemic, it was this challenging period that highlighted the need for all companies across myriad sectors to keep pace with digitalisation and incorporate technology to compen sate for the lack of physical interaction.
MASM donates towards rehabilitation of a children’s ward at a hospital as a CSR activity
TRAINING AND EMPOWERMENT
Across SSA, Malawi has one of the highest labourmedicaldevelopmentplacescountry,professionalpopulation-to-medicalratios.Assuch,theandbyextensionMASM,ahugeemphasisontheandcultivationofpersonneltoovercomeshortages.Onesuchexampleisthemedical
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In addition to providing opportunities for those who are new to the industry, MASM takes pride in nurturing its own workforce and encouraging staff progression. “We ensure that our staff remain motivated at all times. We empower them in different ways, but especially by encouraging training and self-development.“Internally,wealways recognise those of our staff who work beyond the norm and make sure that they are rewarded for their work,” Chikoti elaborates.Additionally, the work that MASM does is by its very nature empowering and“Beingrewarding.aservice industry, from time to time, we do get feedback from our clients. When those clients come forward and show recognition for the service that has been provided, that is extremely satisfying for our members of Chikotistaff.” highlights one such example during the COVID-19 pandemic, when MASM staff were recognised for their diligent work by one of the company’s larger clients – the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - who visited MASM’s premises to reward staff with individual certificates.
“We had to empower our staff with the necessary gadgets and so on so that they could work from home and perform their normal tasks, whilst also interfacing with our service providers as well as our clients – the MASM members. Throughout the peak period of that time, our members were still able to access services
“We have seen that with the growth of the private sector in establishing these facilities and private clinics, comes more enquiries and an increase in the amount of people joining MASM,” Chikoti tells us happily.
“We arrange training that is relevant to the students, but it’s also to the benefit of MASM itself,” Chikoti says.
“We have integrated with mobile operators but also many commercial banks who are now able to collect pre miums for us. Members don’t need to come to the office and their contribu tions will still be updated immediately to confirm their membership status.” Complementing this integration is an app that MASM members can download to access their individual accounts and enjoy real-time visibility of their membership cover and any premiums left outstanding.
MEDICAL AID SOCIETY OF MALAWI Tel: +265 (0) 211 820 543 +265 (0) 211 820 www.masm.mwmanagement@masm.mw064 without any problems,” comments Chikoti.Thistechnological access was crit ical for MASM staff to continue oper ations uninterrupted. But the MASM digital agenda is also instrumental in furthering the company’s accessi bility goals, by implementing ease of access to the company’s services in the virtual realm. With COVID-19 as the catalyst, MASM set about a new way of operating.“Werealised that we needed to look beyond doing business as usual – people weren’t going to be coming to the front desk to pay for their membership and get approvals. We had to ensure that we quickly went into the digitalisation of all our services,” he affirms. Now, MASM customers no longer need to register in person at a company office but can do so online instead. Similarly, for cover payments, MASM’s members can make use of a host of digital platforms to process premium payments.
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“This is one area that we have paid significant attention to recently to make it easier for us to service both our members and the service providers,” says Chikoti.
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A HEALTHY FUTURE The years ahead are exciting for MASM, with further growth firmly on the“Lasthorizon.year, the Civil Service signed up to a contract with us to help grow our membership,” shares Chikoti. “We are extremely excited about this since they are the biggest employer in the country.”Bybecoming a registered employer, MASM’s reach will extend to civil servants everywhere in Malawi, from major cities to village level. “Through this, we expect our mem bership to grow significantly. Soon, we hope to reach at least 70,000 new members. It is a challenge, but we believe it is one that we will be able to surmount.”
MEDICAL AID SOCIETY OF MALAWI Masm Head Office 22 Lower Sclater Road P.O Box Tel:Blantyre,1254Malawi+265(0)211820 543 +265 (0) 211 820 PRODUCEDwww.masm.mwmanagement@masm.mw064BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE