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Malawi’s Community-based Health System Model: Structure, Strategies, and Learning

Devlin, K.; Pandit-Rajani, T.; Egan, F.K. Advancing Partners & Communities (2017) CC

The Community-based Health System Model Series briefs identify and discuss critical health system inputs and processes that have contributed to the implementation and expansion of community-based service delivery in different countries. Countries were selected for their geographic diversity, type o... more

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Summary of National Priorities - Malawi

Community Health Roadmap United States Agency for International Development; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; The Rockefeller Foundation; World Bank Group; community health acceleration partnership; unicef (2021) CC

Malawi’s first National Community Health Strategy (NCHS, 2017-2022) defines a new community health system in which community health cadres, both formal and non-formal, deliver services of the Essential Health Package, with a focus on child and maternal health. It envisages an integrated approach t... more

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Community Health Roadmap - Malawi

Community Health Roadmap (2018) CC

Community Health: Malawi is in the process of implementing its first-ever National Community Health Strategy (NCHS, 2017-2022); the NCHS is embedded in the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSPII) and the community health workforce includes both formal and non-formal cadres

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Moving to a strong(er) community health system: analysing the role of community health volunteers in the new national community health strategy in Malawi

Angwenyi, V.; Aantjes, C.; Kondowe, K. et al. BMJ Global Health (2018) CC

Since the Alma Ata Declaration in 1978, community health volunteers (CHVs) have been at the forefront, providing health services, especially to underserved communities, in low-income countries. However, consolidation of CHVs position within formal health systems has proved to be complex and continue... more

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National Community Health Strategy 2017-2022

Government of the Republic of Malawi (2017) CC

The Government of Malawi is committed to improving health and livelihoods in Malawi through community health – the provision of basic health services in rural and urban communities with the participation of people who live there. Historically, Community Health has significantly contributed to im... more

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Qualitative assessment of community health workers’ perspective on their motivation in community-based primary health care in rural Malawi

Ndambo, M.K.; Munyaneza, F.; Aron, M.B. et al. BMC Health Services Research (2022) CC

Background: Community Health Workers (CHWs) have a positive impact on the provision of community-based primary health care through screening, treatment, referral, psychosocial support, and accompaniment. With a broad scope of work, CHW programs must balance the breadth and depth of tasks to mainta...in CHW motivation for high-quality care delivery. Few studies have described the CHW perspective on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to enhance their programmatic activities. Methods: We utilized an exploratory qualitative study design with CHWs employed in the household model in Neno District, Malawi, to explore their perspectives on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and dissatisfiers in their work. Data was collected in 8 focus group discussions with 90 CHWs in October 2018 and March–April 2019 in seven purposively selected catchment areas. All interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed using Dedoose. Results: Themes of complex intrinsic and extrinsic factors were generated from the perspectives of the CHWs in the focus group discussions. Study results indicate that enabling factors are primarily intrinsic factors such as positive patient outcomes, community respect, and recognition by the formal health care system but can lead to the chal- lenge of increased scope and workload. Extrinsic factors can provide challenges, including an increased scope and workload from original expectations, lack of resources to utilize in their work, and rugged geography. However, a posi- tive work environment through supportive relationships between CHWs and supervisors enables the CHWs. Conclusion: This study demonstrated enabling factors and challenges for CHW performance from their perspec- tive within the dual-factor theory. We can mitigate challenges through focused efforts to limit geographical distance, manage workload, and strengthen CHW support to reinforce their recognition and trust. Such programmatic empha- sis can focus on enhancing motivational factors found in this study to improve the CHWs’ experience in their role. The engagement of CHWs, the communities, and the formal health care system is critical to improving the care provided to the patients and communities, along with building supportive systems to recognize the work done by CHWs for the primary health care systems. more

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The role of community health workers in influencing social connectedness using the household model: a qualitative case study from Malawi

Ndambo, M.K.; Munyaneza, F.; Aron, M. et al. Global Health Action (2022) CC

Community health workers (CHWs) play a vital role in facilitating social connectedness, building trust, decrease stigma, and link communities to essential healthcare and social support services. More studies are needed to understand the factors facilitating these interactions among CHWs, clients, an... more

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Access to health care for people with disabilities in rural Malawi: what are the barriers?

Harrison, J.A.K.; Thomson, R.; Banda, H.T. et al. BMC Public Health (2020) CC

People with disabilities experience significant health inequalities. In Malawi, where most individuals live in low-income rural settings, many of these inequalities are exacerbated by restricted access to health care services. This qualitative study explores the barriers to health care access experi... more

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Disability inclusive employment in urban Malawi: A multi-perspective interview study

Remnant, J.; Wånggren, L.; Huque, S. et al. Journal of International Development (2022) CC

The paper presents interview data from Malawian government representatives, trade unionists, employers and people with disabilities from the country's largest cities Lilongwe and Blantyre. Findings relate to the gap between the discourse of employers and government officials and that of workers with... more

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Do Disability Inequalities Grow with Development? Evidence from 40 Countries

Lewis, E.; Mitra, S.; Yap, J. Sustainability (2022) CC

With development, people around the world have become wealthier and live longer. At the same time, development can lead to growing inequalities within and between nations. This paper analyses inequalities related to disability and how they vary across countries by development level. Using internatio... more

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Exploring equity and inclusion in Malawi’s National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan

Ebuenyi, I.D.; Smith, E.M.; Munthali, A. et al. International Journal for Equity in Health (2021) CC

Background Equity and inclusion are important principles in policy development and implementation. The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which equity and inclusion were considered in the development of Malawi’s National Disability Mainstreaming Strategy and Implementation Plan. Met... more

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Integrated home-based screening for people living with disabilities: A case study from rural Malawi

Petersen, E.M.; Wroe, E.B.; Nyangulu, K. et al. African Journal of Disability (2019) CC

People living with disabilities (PLWDs) have poor access to health services compared to people without disabilities. As a result, PLWDs do not benefit from some of the services provided at health facilities; therefore, new methods need to be developed to deliver these services where PLWDs reside. Th... more

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Self-reported disability in rural Malawi: prevalence, incidence, and relationship to chronic conditions

Prynn, J.E.; Dube, A.; Mwaiyeghele, E. et al. Wellcome Open Research (2022) CC

Background: Disability is a complex concept involving physical impairment, activity limitation, and participation restriction. The Washington Group developed a set of questions on six functional domains (seeing, hearing, walking, remembering, self-care, and communicating) to allow collection of co... more

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Enhancing Pharmacovigilance in Sub‑Saharan Africa Through Training and Mentoring: A GSK Pilot Initiative in Malawi

Jusot, V.; Chimimba, F.; Dzabala, N. et al. Drug Safety (2020) CC

Introduction Pharmacovigilance (PV) systems to monitor drug and vaccine safety are often inadequate in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, a PV enhancement initiative was introduced to address major barriers to PV. Objective The objective of this initiative was to improve reporting of adverse events (A... more

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Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUFT) and the WHO Essential Medicines List

CMAM Forum (2018) CC

Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is one of the greatest child survival challenges in the world today and reportedly affects more than 16.2 million children each year1. High impact, proven treatment interventions exist yet sadly approximately only 3.2 million children with SAM have access to treatme... more

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The availability, cost, and affordability of essential medicines for asthma and COPD in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Stolbrink, M.; Thomson, H.; Hadfield, R.M. et al. The Lancet Global Health (2022) CC

Background: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cause a considerable burden of morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Access to safe, effective, quality-assured, and affordable essential medicines is variable. We aimed to review the existing ... more

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The availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines in Malawi: A cross-sectional study

Khuluza, F.; Haefele-Abah, C. PLoS ONE (2019) CC

The Malawian government recently introduced cost-covering consultation fees for self-referral patients in tertiary public hospitals. Previously, patients received medicines free of charge in government-owned health facilities, but must pay elsewhere. Before the government implements a payment policy... more

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Renewable energy solutions improve children’s health and wellbeing in Malawi

Unicef (2021) C_UNICEF

UNICEF Malawi and its partners are prioritizing renewable energy solutions for children and communities across the country to access clean and affordable electricity, with a focus on hard-to-reach, rural communities unable to access the national electricity grid.

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Social protection programmes in Malawi

Government of Malawi; Unicef (2022) C_UNICEF

Social protection programmes in Malawi ensure that those most in need get the essential assistance they require.Social protection programmes help the most vulnerable, including the elderly, ultra-poor, disabled, and children