KUHeS Ranks sixth in African Academic Health Sciences Research
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) has been ranked number 6 among African academic institutions in health sciences research output.
The ranking by Nature Index provides absolute count of primary research articles and fractional share counts of author contribution to articles.
According to its website, Nature Index tracks primary research articles from 145 natural-science and health-science journals, chosen based on reputation by an independent group of researchers.
For the period spanning October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, KUHeS not only ranked 6th in academic sector health sciences research but also attained 10th position in all subject areas within the academic sector and 11th overall across all sectors and subject areas.
“In the Current Index (12-month rolling window), Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) published the most articles in these research areas; Clinical Sciences, Reproductive Medicine, Nutrition and Dietetics, Cardiovascular Medicine and Hematology, Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medical Microbiology, and Health Services and Systems,” it reads.
From the research output, KUHeS collaborated with 255 international institutions and 11 local institutions representing 88.5 percent 11.5 percent respectively.
The international collaborators include; Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool, University College London, Imperial College London and MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis (MRC GIDA).
While the local collaborators are Malawi Liverpool-Wellcome Research Programme (MLW), University of Malawi, Malawi Ministry of Health, Training and Research Unit of Excellence (TRUE Malawi) and The Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.
KUHeS Vice Chancellor Professor Macpherson Mallewa described the development as a testament to the University’s commitment to being a world class university and a centre of excellence in health education, research and innovation.
“The University is committed to ensuring that the research conducted at KUHeS continues to be impactful nationally, regionally and at globally. KUHeS was established on 4 May 2021. To receive such recognition for a University that is barely 4 years is such a huge achievement.
“Ranking among the top institutions in Africa reflects the dedication of our researchers, the strength of our international and local collaborations, and our shared vision to generate impactful research that improves health outcomes,” he said.
Commenting on the development, MLW Director Professor Henry Mwandumba, one of the local collaborators commended KUHeS for a job well done in attaining this ranking. He described the milestone as a win not just for the institution but Malawi as a whole.
“Being ranked 6th among African academic institutions in health sciences research by the Nature Index is a significant milestone, not only for KUHeS but for Malawi as a nation. It validates our collective work toward high-impact, globally recognised research that directly addresses the health challenges facing our region and beyond. We are incredibly proud of KUHeS. This success is proof that Malawian research can, and does, compete on the global stage,” he said.
Prof Mwandumba further said the partnership between the two institutions remains a cornerstone of the success shared over the past decades.
“We feel privileged to celebrate this newfound recognition alongside them. MLW’s commitment to advancing health is further solidified by our new core grant, which allows us to consolidate our existing strengths while leading in critical new areas such as mental health and the impact of climate change on health,” he said. KUHeS was established in 2019 under the act of parliament by merging Kamuzu College of Nursing (est. 1965) and College of Medicine (est. 1991). The University specifically trains health professionals such as nurses, midwives, medical doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, nutritionists and biomedical scientist’s/lab technologists at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
