Tag: E&Surveillance

  • NAPHS Development, 2025.

    NAPHS Development, 2025.

    NAPHS 2025.

    Lilongwe, Malawi – May 28th, 2025.
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration withGrace Choo and Settie Kanyanda.

    On 26th May, a crucial workshop kicked off in Mponera, Dowa district, marking a significant step forward in Malawi’s health security. The Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM), with support from the World Bank and the Tackling Deadly Diseases in Africa Program (TDDAP), hosted a fundamental workshop focused on developing the nation’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS).

    A Unified Approach to Public Health, The NAPHS is a strategic framework that ensures a unified and comprehensive approach to public health, directly aligning with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). This current workshop built upon insights gained from a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) conducted in December 2024, which assessed Malawi’s health security across 19 technical areas, including prevention, detection, response, and other hazard management. Dr. Wilfred Chalamira on behalf of the Director for PHIM welcomed the participants and emphasised the importance of the event as it will have overall impact of the nations health.

    Multi-Sectoral Collaboration for “One Health”
    A diverse group of representatives from key government ministries and departments participated in the four-day orientation. Officials from the Ministries of Justice, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Treasury, and the Malawi Police Service, among others, highlighted the essential multisectoral nature of health security. This wide-ranging engagement directly addresses the identified need to strengthen coordination structures across different sectors at national and sub-national levels to implement a “One Health” framework.

    Deep Dive into Health Security
    On the first day, participants were introduced to the NAPHS processes, tools, and overall context. Dr. Gertrude Chapotera from WHO provided an introduction to the NAPHS, while Dr. Herbert Bakiika from the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), Uganda, demonstrated the application of NAPHS development templates. The afternoon was dedicated to the critical task of selecting and identifying priority activities, informed by various assessment reports, including the JEE and COVID-19 reports.
    The JEE from December 2024 praised Malawi’s strengths, such as the establishment of PHIM and the operationalization of Public Health Emergency Operations Centers (PHEOCs). Strong capacities in disease surveillance, laboratory services, and multi-sectoral collaboration were also noted. However, the JEE also pinpointed critical areas needing immediate attention, including strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, ensuring sustainable financing, and expanding training and capacity-building. This workshop directly aimed to address the recommendation to develop a costed NAPHS to outline national IHR gaps and priorities and facilitate resource mobilization.

    Addressing Climate Change and Prioritizing Actions

    The second day saw participants continue to identify and prioritize activities based on comprehensive assessment reports. A significant session integrated Climate Change and Health into the National Action Plan for Health Security, led by Halcycon from Uganda. This integration acknowledges Malawi’s high vulnerability to climate threats, being ranked 5th on the Global Climate Risk Index (2021) and having faced numerous climate-related disasters in recent years. The majority of the day was spent in group work, prioritizing NAPHS activities by technical area, taking into account recommendations from the JEE. For instance, the need to develop and implement a national multi-sectoral strategic plan for Points of Entry (PoEs) was discussed, and efforts to fast-track the enactment of the Public Health Act were highlighted as crucial for strengthening legal instruments.

    Synergies, Coordination, and Costing
    The third day was primarily dedicated to extensive group work, where participants aligned priority actions to identify synergies, prevent duplication, and efficiently compile detailed NAPHS activities. This is especially relevant given the JEE’s findings on fragmented legal instruments for biosafety and biosecurity and the need for a consolidated inventory of high-consequence pathogens. Strengthening multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms was identified as a key priority to promote effective collaboration across different sectors, including developing and formalizing a One Health platform structure.

    On the final day, participants compiled detailed cost assumptions per technical area for each detailed NAPHS activity. The workshop officially concluded with the submission of completed NAPHS templates to the NAPHS Secretariat. This directly addresses the urgent need for a costed NAPHS to facilitate resource mobilization and ensure various sectors mainstream and leverage their resources to address identified gaps. Looking ahead, strategic actions for “Legal Instruments” include engagement meetings with stakeholders and lobbying parliamentary committees for the enactment of the Public Health Act. Further plans include conducting Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Vaccination & Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) trainings, extending training for early warning surveillance functions, and increasing national coverage for electronic laboratory information management systems (LIMS).

    Efforts in Biosafety and Biosecurity will focus on consolidating the inventory of high-consequence pathogens and finalizing legal frameworks, ultimately aiming to strengthen the linkage between public health and security authorities for a rapid multisectoral response to suspected or confirmed biological, chemical, or radiological events.

  • PHIM Enhances Chitipa and Karonga Preparedness and response capability for Cholera, Mpox, and Marburg.

    PHIM Enhances Chitipa and Karonga Preparedness and response capability for Cholera, Mpox, and Marburg.

    Cholera, Mpox, and Marburg Training.

    Chitipa, Malawi – March 7th, 2025.
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Chriswell Nkoloma and Settie Kanyanda.

    In a proactive approach to enhance the country’s response to public health emergencies, the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM), with support from AMREF, conducted crucial training sessions in  Karonga and Chitipa districts. These sessions focused on cholera, Mpox, and Marburg.

    These activities aim to ensure that healthcare workers can effectively manage cases, strengthen surveillance and contact tracing, improve laboratory diagnostics, and educate communities on preventive measures for Mpox, Marburg, and Cholera.

    From May 6th to 7th, 2025, Public Health Emergency Management Committees and District Rapid Response Teams in the two districts were refreshed on their roles and responsibilities. Subsequently, from May 8th to 14th, frontline healthcare workers, including clinicians, nurses, health surveillance assistants, laboratory staff, and data clerks, received specialized training on sample collection, clinical case management, data reporting etc.

    Mr. Chriwell Nkoloma presenting on Mpox Global Overview and Malawi Situation to the Chitipa DRRT.

    Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu, Amref Country Director – Malawi.
  • Mpox Situation in Malawi

    Mpox Situation in Malawi

    MPOX – Malawi Situation.

    National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC), Lilongwe, Malawi, 2025.
    by
    Moses Nyambalo Phiri in collaboration with Grace Funsani, Noel Khunga, Chriswell Nkoloma and Settie Kanyanda.

    Malawi has reported a new confirmed case of Mpox, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 38 since the first case was recorded on April 17th, 2025. The announcement was made by the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) on June 20th, 2025, in their latest Mpox Spot Report. The new case is a 39-year-old female chef from Chiradzulu district, who was initially residing in Blantyre district. She presented to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) on June 16th, 2025, where she was initially diagnosed with chickenpox. On the same day, she traveled to Chiradzulu district, where she is currently residing with her parents. Mpox was subsequently suspected, and a sample was collected on June 17th, 2025. The case exhibited symptoms including fever, headache, and skin rash, and had a history of contact with a confirmed Mpox case and an underlying condition. Laboratory testing has since confirmed the Mpox infection. The patient has no recent international travel history

    “The first case was recorded in Lilongwe district on April 16, 2025. Later additional cases were registered.  All the cases are males within the age range of 2 to 38 years: a 30-year-old from Phwetekere- Area 36, a 33-year-old from Kawale 2, 38 year-old from Chilinde, a 35 year-old from Area 36, Kandikole, an 18 year-old from Area 36, Tumbwe, Traditional Authority (TA) Tsabango, Lilongwe district, and a two year-old child from Michesi 1 village, TA Mponda, Mangochi district.Three cases from Lilongwe have recovered and have been discharged from clinical care, while the other three are still under clinical care . No death has been reported.”

    Grace Fusani – Mpox Incident Manager, PHIM.

    Vincent Kamforzi, Data Manager – “The affected districts are Lilongwe, Mangochi, Ntcheu, Salima, Likoma, and NkhataBay.”

    What response activities have so far been undertaken ?

    Cases
    Malawi Mpox Outbreak

    PHIM has activated its Incident Management System (IMS) for Mpox and is working with various sectors, including animal health, civic education, and disaster management, using One Health Approach

    Mpox Suspect in Lilongwe

    1. Surveillance.

    Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed to conduct contact tracing and investigate cases. Surveillance systems have been enhanced at the community level, health facilities, and points of entry (PoEs).

    The district team are being trained on Mpox through a collaborative effort involving Amref Health Africa, the US CDC, and the World Bank, which have provided the necessary resources. Initial training, supported by Amref Health Africa, has been conducted in the Chitipa and Karonga districts. This district level training will be extended to all districts to ensure comprehensive staff preparedness covering critical areas such as Mpox Etiology and Virology, Transmission Pathways, Prevention and Control Measures, and Clinical Management etc.

    Chitipa -Mpox District Training 7/May/2025.

    2. Case Management.

    Case management guidelines have been developed and distributed, and isolation facilities have been identified.

    3. Labolatory.

    Samples from suspected cases are being tested using PCR, and genomic sequencing of the Mpox virus is underway.

    Mpox sample testing in the national laboratory

    Essential medicines and PPEs have been distributed to districts and Messages about Mpox prevention are being disseminated in local languages through various channels, including posters, social media, leaflets, and audio recordings. PHIM is working to address these challenges and will continue to provide updates on the situation.