Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi
Malawi: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 0.054 per 1,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi, 1960–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi is 0.054 per 1,000 people, measured in 2022.
That represents a change of up 10.2% on the previous year and up 350.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi peaked at 0.15 per 1,000 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.012 per 1,000 people, in 2013.
That places Malawi 192nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.027 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.021 per 1,000 people | -22.2% |
| 1970 | 0.013 per 1,000 people | -38.1% |
| 1981 | 0.019 per 1,000 people | +46.2% |
| 1984 | 0.087 per 1,000 people | +357.9% |
| 1989 | 0.023 per 1,000 people | -73.6% |
| 1990 | 0.022 per 1,000 people | -4.3% |
| 1993 | 0.028 per 1,000 people | +27.3% |
| 2003 | 0.021 per 1,000 people | -25.0% |
| 2004 | 0.021 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.018 per 1,000 people | -14.3% |
| 2009 | 0.018 per 1,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.012 per 1,000 people | -33.3% |
| 2016 | 0.031 per 1,000 people | +158.3% |
| 2018 | 0.15 per 1,000 people | +383.9% |
| 2020 | 0.049 per 1,000 people | -67.3% |
| 2022 | 0.054 per 1,000 people | +10.2% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 0.054 per 1,000 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.1455 per 1,000 people, 37% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 0.054 per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.188 per 1,000 people, 29% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +383.9% | 0.031 per 1,000 people | 0.15 per 1,000 people |
| 1984 | +357.9% | 0.019 per 1,000 people | 0.087 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.024 per 1,000 people | 0.021 per 1,000 people | 0.027 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.013 per 1,000 people | 0.013 per 1,000 people | 0.013 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 0.043 per 1,000 people | 0.019 per 1,000 people | 0.087 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 1990s | 0.025 per 1,000 people | 0.022 per 1,000 people | 0.028 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.0195 per 1,000 people | 0.018 per 1,000 people | 0.021 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.0643 per 1,000 people | 0.012 per 1,000 people | 0.15 per 1,000 people | 3 |
| 2020s | 0.0515 per 1,000 people | 0.049 per 1,000 people | 0.054 per 1,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 189 Burundi 0.078 per 1,000 people compare
- 190 Central African Republic 0.074 per 1,000 people compare
- 191 Papua New Guinea 0.061 per 1,000 people compare
- 193 Somalia 0.048 per 1,000 people compare
- 194 Niger 0.038 per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0714 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Malawi was 0.054 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.15 per 1,000 people in 2018.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.012 per 1,000 people in 2013.
- How does Malawi rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Malawi ranks 192nd out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 350.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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