Malawi Program about Health

Overview

VillageReach is in discussions with Malawi’s Ministry of Health. An assessment in February 2008 found an incredibly complex system with great needs in our areas of specialty. The information gathered through field visits and interviews validates the need for our work there. We anticipate signing a Memorandum of Understanding by summer 2008.

Program Areas

If we are invited to work in Malawi, we will implement three distinct programs:

1. The first program is designed to strengthen the health system at a regional level. Our goal is to jointly develop a program to train pharmacy assistants, provide supportive supervision for their work in rural health centers, and perform a consumption study to better understand the actual need at the rural level. We will also deploy a data analysis tool to assist health workers with collection, reporting, and analysis of health center-level data. Our work will improve the management, reliability, and quality of the public health system.

2. The second program in Malawi aims to improve health at a village level. By working with the MoH to determine an appropriate location and set of health interventions, the program will extend the reach of the health system, increase the community's access to health care, and improve health in a rural area. In addition to implementing health-related interventions based on need and feasibility, the program will seek to maximize the impact in relation to cost.

3. The third program is a for-profit social enterprise. Following the start of our health systems strengthening project, we will begin a social enterprise. We must ensure that any social venture supports the health system and meets a true need in the country. We are exploring opportunities in the fields of transportation, energy, and communications.

Each program is an extension of our work in Mozambique and builds on our experience there. The complementary programs provide innovative health system and development solutions, and our work will support existing donors and their programs by making the national medical logistics system more effective and efficient. Program implementation requires a strong partnership with the MoH and the communities we serve to ensure that we address appropriate local needs and create sustainable change.

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MALAWI

Overview
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa with 13 million people over an area slightly smaller than Pennsylvania or England. Malawi has significant need for improvement in its procurement and distribution of medicines and medical commodities to its 600+ health facilities.