Year: 2025

  • PHIM and KUHeS Lead Initiative to Enhance Research Skills at Kamuzu Central Hospital through Workshop.

    PHIM and KUHeS Lead Initiative to Enhance Research Skills at Kamuzu Central Hospital through Workshop.

    Research Skills Enhancement.

    Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi – August 7, 2025..
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Memory Ngwira, and Settie Kanyanda.

    In a significant step towards strengthening research capabilities within Malawi’s public health sector, the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) in collaboration with Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) is conducting a five-day Research Methodology and Grants Writing Workshop at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH). Started on Monday expected to end this Friday, aims to enhance participants with essential skills for conducting high-quality research and securing funding, thereby advancing evidence-based healthcare practices across the nation.

    Special thanks to the Kamuzu Central Research Coordination Committee for arranging the workshop, and to Dr. Samuel Phuka from KuHes, and to the Dr. Enock Ludzu – Hospital Director – KCH for officially opening the event.

    Dr. Amos Msekandiana

    Also, In attendance was Dr. Amos Msekandiana popularly known as Mr. Jaliwa.

    The workshop, which is taking place at KCH, brings together a diverse group of participants, including researchers from various health-related fields, MoH personnel, and academic staff from local universities. By focusing on research methodology and grants writing, the initiative seeks to address key challenges faced by professionals in the health sector concerning the development of viable research proposals and the acquisition of funding for public health projects.

    Alex Thawani, PHIM – Research Division.

    Alex Thawani, Bio-statistician for the Research Division, PHIM., expressed the importance of this initiative, stating, “Strengthening research capacity is essential for the advancement of health services in Malawi. By enhancing the skills of our health professionals, we are investing in the future of evidence-based healthcare that can significantly improve the health outcomes of our population.”

    Participants are engaged in a series of hands-on sessions over the week, covering topics such as the fundamentals of research design, data collection and analysis techniques, ethics in research, and the intricacies of writing competitive grant applications. The workshop is facilitated by experienced trainers from both PHIM and KUHeS, ensuring that attendees benefit from a wealth of knowledge and practical insights.

    In addition, Memory Ngwira, Research Officer from PHIM emphasized the collaborative aspect of the workshop: “This partnership between PHIM and KUHeS exemplifies our commitment to fostering a culture of research and collaboration within our health system. It is vital that we work together to ensure our health responses are informed by sound research.”

    Memory Ngwira – PHIM

    While the workshop is poised to provide valuable training and resources, it is essential to recognize the broader context within which these efforts occur. Malawi is faced with various challenges, including limited funding opportunities for health research and the need for greater awareness of the importance of research among policymakers and stakeholders. Thus, while workshops like this are crucial, sustained efforts are necessary to create an environment conducive to research and innovation in healthcare.

    The Research Methodology and Grants Writing Workshop at Kamuzu Central Hospital signifies a essential advancement in Malawi’s commitment to enhancing research capabilities within the public health sector.

    By equipping researchers, MoH staff, and academic professionals with the necessary skills, PHIM and KUHeS are paving the way for a future where evidence-based practices thrive, impacting the health outcomes of Malawians. As participants embark on this learning journey, the hope is that it will foster a culture of inquiry and innovation, ultimately contributing to the sustainable development of healthcare. The collaborative efforts displayed bring out the collective responsibility of all stakeholders in building a robust health research framework that can effectively address the health challenges facing Malawi today and in the years to come.

  • PHIM and WHO Strengthen National One Health Observatory for Enhanced Public Health Monitoring.

    PHIM and WHO Strengthen National One Health Observatory for Enhanced Public Health Monitoring.

    One Health Observatory Worksop.

    Salima, Malawi June-2025..
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Dr. Bernard Mvula, Hamdan Saidi and Settie Kanyanda.

    PHIM has conducted its National One Health Observatory (NOHO) Workshop, a significant step towards strengthened its public health infrastructure.This workshop held at Sigelege, Salima, that brought together approx 72 officers across different directorates and programs including Interagency coordination office situated under the Office of the President and Cabinet, and was technically and financially supported by WHO.

    The NOHO integrates data from key sectors including health, agriculture, water, and the environment. This multi-sectoral approach aligns with the national One Health strategy, aiming to improve evidence-based decision-making, as indicated by a 2019 study by Vesterinen Id et al.

    Key objectives included strengthening capacity for generating actionable knowledge products (e.g., policy briefs, infographics, blogs), validating national indicator data, identifying gaps, proposing new indicators, and fostering collaboration in data governance and dissemination. A national roadmap for sustained observatory use was
    also developed. The NOHO holds significant implications for Malawi as it is expected to increase the country’s global visibility through centralized, quality data for policymaking.

    Furthermore, it will facilitate indicator harmonization, reinforce multisectoral collaboration via the One Health Approach, and improve data quality and dissemination. This initiative also aligns Malawi’s systems with the WHO-supported African Health Observatory framework, enabling effective tracking of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) progress.

    In his opening remarks, Mr. Joseph Bitilinyu Bango, Deputy Director rensiponsible for PHL, PHIM emphasized “This initiative is set to transform how Malawi gathers, analyzes, and utilizes health-related data, leading to more informed policy decisions and a healthier future for its citizens.”

  • Public Health Institute of Malawi Hosts One-Health Meeting, Eyes National Strategy for Coordinated Health Action.

    Public Health Institute of Malawi Hosts One-Health Meeting, Eyes National Strategy for Coordinated Health Action.

    One Health Stakeholder Meeting

    Ufulu Gardens, Lilongwe, Malawi June-2025..
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Mark Mwalabu, and Settie Kanyanda.

    The One Health Stakeholders Meeting, held at Ufulu Gardens in Lilongwe on June 26, 2025, brought together key players from Malawi’s public health, animal health, and environmental sectors. Organized by the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) in collaboration with the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD) and the Environmental Affairs Department (EAD), the meeting aimed to strengthen collaborative approaches under the One Health framework, align ongoing and planned activities, and improve coordination and cross-sectoral efforts.

    Representatives from various vital government bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, the Department of Disaster Affairs, the Malawi Police Service, the Malawi Defence Force, and the Office of the President and Cabinet, were in attendance. The Airport Commandant of Kamuzu International Airport’s Port Health Services also participated.

    Dr. Wilfred Chalamira Nkhoma from the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) officially opened the meeting. He stressed the critical need for strategic and coordinated efforts within a One Health approach to ensure its success.

    He particularly emphasized the critical need to operationalize One Health and establish structured, periodic meetings to review progress and foster accountability. He said “A significant proposal was the in the development of a national One Health strategy or policy with clear implementation and accountability plans for each sector” . He called for an Accountability and Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework to track sectoral contributions and progress and suggested an independent committee to develop Scorecard to evaluate sector performance.

    “…Malawi needs to strategically coordinate efforts in One Health approach to achieve overall improved health of our nation….”

    Dr. Wilfred Chalamira Nkhoma – OPC.

    Several organizations presented their contributions and insights:

    The Pandemic Fund announced that Malawi had a $2.7 million share in the 2024 regional project focusing on disease surveillance and workforce response to climate-driven disease outbreaks. As of current, a multi-country proposal (RAPID-AI) for 2025 and a single-country proposal for strengthening pandemic preparedness through One Health approach are pending approval.

    Health Informaticts Malawi advocated for health informatics and data governance through training, advocacy, and standardization, emphasizing that “Every dataset should generate a decision.” while the WHO shared that they have been supporting for national One Health policies and AMR-related strategies, noting fragmentation and stressing the need for clear sectoral responsibilities and a skilled workforce.

    The AMR National Coordinating Committee (ANCC) provided an update on the AMR National Action Plan (2023–2030), with plans to establish a national OH AMR data warehouse, and there was also notion that research on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in poultry had identifying gaps in research and challenges related to data quality.

    HISP Malawi / University of Malawi showcased climate-health initiatives, including the DHIS2 Climate App (CHAP) and a climate data portal, emphasizing interoperability, whereas Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust Focused on AMR research, particularly in Salmonella and E. coli, with pilot One Health research on AMU and AMR in hospitals.

    Key questions arose regarding the underrepresentation of environmental data in OH strategies and how to promote cross-use-case infrastructure and data interoperability with systems like NAMIS and OHSP. A follow-up call with GIZ and HISP was recommended to align integration efforts.

    Mirna Hussein, ECSA and Dr. Chikonzero, GIZ

    The meeting, co-funded by GIZ and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), the collective commitment to a unified approach to public health in Malawi.