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Category: Latest News and Events

  • Cholera Situation in Malawi.

    Cholera Situation Report: Rumphi

    Cholera Situation in Malawi

    A Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) Summary | Issue 2, October 27, 2025

    1 CONFIRMED CASE (RUMPHI)

    Case confirmed on October 22, 2025 (Currently Discharged)

    Confirmed Case Profile: Rumphi

    👤

    Case R-001: Adult Male

    • Age/Sex: 36-year-old Male
    • Occupation: Worker at Chico Construction Company
    • Location (TA): TA Njikula, Rumphi
    • Reporting Facility: Jalawe Health Centre (Detected Oct 19, 2025)

    Clinical & Resolution Status

    Diagnosis & Confirmation
    • The case presented with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting.
    • Initial samples tested positive using cRDT.
    • Confirmation status: Confirmed by culture on October 22, 2025.
    Case Management Outcome

    The case was successfully discharged from care on October 23, 2025.

    District Public Health Response 📋

    Actions taken by the District Rapid Response Team (DRRT):

    • Epidemiological Investigation: The DRRT conducted immediate contact tracing, case follow-up, and comprehensive investigation in the affected area.
    • Corporate Recommendations: The DRRT provided specific actionable measures and recommendations to the management of Chico Construction Company.
    • Monitoring & Updates: PHIM will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.

    Previous Surveillance Activity: Lilongwe Suspected Cases (Issue 1)

    In the context of continuous surveillance, PHIM previously reported the following activity:

    Case L-001 (Lilongwe)

    Date Reported: Sept 25, 2025

    Details: 30-year-old male from Chinsapo. Reported to Bwaila Hospital.

    Status: Tested positive via cRDT; culture results pending. Isolated at Bwaila Isolation Camp.

    Case L-002 (Lilongwe)

    Date Reported: Sept 25, 2025

    Details: 27-year-old male from Nathenje. Reported to Nathenje Health Facility.

    Status: Tested positive via cRDT; culture results pending. Isolated at Bwaila Isolation Camp.

    District actions included planning for contact tracing, case follow-up, and Case Area Targeted Interventions (CATI).

  • Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) bulletin for Epidemiological Week 37 (September 8-14, 2025).

    Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) bulletin for Epidemiological Week 37 (September 8-14, 2025).

    Malawi Mpox Outbreak Update

    Malawi’s Latest Health Bulletin Confirms 14 New Mpox Cases

    Weekly IDSR Report Highlights Ongoing Public Health Surveillance

    Published by the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) on September 19, 2025.

    A new report from the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) provides a detailed look into the country’s public health landscape, with a significant focus on the ongoing Mpox outbreak. The latest Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) bulletin for Epidemiological Week 37 (September 8-14, 2025) confirms an additional 14 new Mpox cases, bringing the cumulative total to 110.

    Public Health Events in Epi-week 37

    Pictorial graph of notifiable diseases/conditions alerts in Malawi during Epi-week 37

    Notifiable diseases/conditions alerts reported in Epi-week 37 in Malawi (Data accessed on 17 September 2025)

    Outbreak at a Glance

    According to the report, the outbreak continues to be actively monitored, with key metrics updated for the latest week. As of September 14, 2025, the breakdown of cases is as follows:

    • Total Confirmed Cases: 110 laboratory-confirmed cases in Malawi, plus 2 cross-border cases.
    • New Cases: 13 new cases were recorded during Epidemiological Week 37.
    • Patient Status: 84 individuals have been discharged, 23 are currently in isolation, and 2 are lost to follow-up.
    • Deaths: One death has been confirmed since the start of the outbreak, with no new deaths reported in Week 37.
    • Contact Tracing: A total of 1,167 contacts have been identified and are being monitored.

    Affected Districts and Demographics

    The age range of confirmed cases spans from 2 to 75 years. The outbreak has now been reported in 12 districts across the country, highlighting its widespread nature. The districts include Lilongwe, Mangochi, Ntcheu, Salima, Likoma, Nkhatabay, Blantyre, Mzimba South, Ntchisi, Karonga, Zomba, and Chitipa.

    Public Health Surveillance and Response

    The Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) is mandated to protect public health through robust surveillance, early warning, and outbreak containment. The IDSR system’s overall reporting stood at an impressive 90.7% for completeness and 83.3% for timeliness on the One Health Surveillance Platform (OHSP) during this reporting period.

    In response to the Mpox outbreak and other public health events, a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach has been implemented. Key measures include:

    • Incident Management System (IMS): The IMS has been activated to coordinate all response efforts.
    • Rapid Response Teams: Functional Rapid Response Teams (DRRTs) have been deployed at both national and district levels. These teams are actively engaged in collecting blister swab samples, conducting contact tracing, and following up on cases.
    • Multi-sectoral Collaboration: A “One Health” approach is being utilized, involving the collaboration of both human and animal health workers at national and district levels to enhance disease surveillance.
    • Training and Capacity Building: PHIM has been training the National Emergency Medical Team, surge teams, and frontline health workers to ensure a skilled and ready response force.
    • Risk Communication: The Ministry of Health is actively engaged in risk communication and community engagement activities to educate the public on disease prevention and containment.

    In addition to Mpox, the surveillance system also detected other public health events in Epidemiological Week 37:

    • Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI): 42 cases, 3 deaths
    • Diarrhoea with blood: 718 cases
    • Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI): 83 cases
    • Typhoid fever: 23 cases
    • Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP): 6 cases
    • Maternal Deaths: 5 deaths
    • Meningococcal meningitis: 4 cases, 1 death

    Looking Forward

    The report concludes with specific recommendations for improving the public health response. These include enhancing reporting timeliness and signal detection, conducting prompt risk assessments for all verified events, and strengthening routine immunization programs.

    Read the Official Bulletin →
  • Malawi Delegation Joins Regional Peers for Intensive EIDM Program.

    Malawi Delegation Joins Regional Peers for Intensive EIDM Program.

    Malawi & Regional Delegations (EIDM Program)

    Entebbe, Uganda – August 13, 2025
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Memory Ngwira, and Settie Kanyanda.

    A delegation from Malawi has commenced Week 13 of the Mid-Level Evidence-Informed Decision-Making (EIDM) program at the African Centre for Rapid Evidence Synthesis (ACRES), joining colleagues from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda for the intensive 28-week course. The program is designed to equip policymakers and researchers with the skills needed to effectively translate evidence into actionable policy.

    Memory Ngwira -PHIM, and Colleague attanding as knowledge blockers.
    Memory Ngwira -PHIM, and Colleague attanding as knowledge blockers.

    The Malawian team includes policymakers Mary Mwale and Blair Sibale from the Reproductive Health Directorate, alongside researchers Memory Moque Ngwira from PHIM and Suzgika Mirriam Lakudzala from the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome (MLW) Programme. Their participation highlights Malawi’s ongoing commitment to strengthening evidence-based policy formulation, particularly in critical areas like public health.

    The week began with a powerful session on “Gender Inclusion and Diversity in Evidence-to-Policy,” led by Dr. Anna Ninsiima of Makerere University. The session focused on the essential role of integrating gender and diversity considerations throughout the policy process to ensure equitable and effective outcomes.

    The program, has brought together a diverse group of professionals from across the region, aiming to build a network of skilled individuals capable of championing evidence-informed practices within their respective countries. The ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange are expected to have a lasting impact on policy-making across East Africa.