Thirty-five-year-old Fanny Miliyasi stands as a beacon of hope and determination in the hard-to-reach village of Kaloga, Group Village Head Padzuwa in Traditional Authority Kasisi in Chikwawa District.
The mother of four has made it her mission to ensure that every child in her village receives essential vaccines, leaving no room for preventable diseases.
“I dream of a day when our village records zero defaulters in child immunisation,” asserts Miliyasi, her voice reflecting unwavering commitment.
As Kaloga Mother Care Group (MCG) secretary, Miliyasi leads by example, traversing from one household to another, tracing children who have missed their vaccine schedules and encouraging mothers and guardians to prioritise immunisation.
Kaloga MCG operates under Chabvala Health Centre.
Although geographically situated in Chikwawa District, the health centre falls under the administrative oversight of Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) due to the challenging hilly terrain that makes access from Chikwawa more difficult than from Blantyre.
Established and trained in 2020 by the Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) and its focal organisation Women for Fair Development (Wofad), Kaloga MCG has been instrumental in increasing vaccine uptake in the area.
“Their efforts have seen immunisation rates rise from 70 percent in 2019 to approximately 90 percent today,” explains health surveillance assistant (HSA) Nelson Ching’amba from Chabvala Health Centre.
The improvement in vaccine uptake, according to him, is attributed to the ministry’s efforts and commitment as well as the women’s zeal and meticulous record-keeping and proactive follow-ups.
Miliyasi agrees: “We maintain detailed records of every child’s vaccination status. If a child misses a dose, we promptly assign a member to follow up and encourage the parents to visit the nearest vaccination centre.”
Mhen’s Moses Ngoma commends the group’s industriousness and dedication.
“Vaccine uptake has dramatically improved here, thanks to the commitment of these women. They are our boots on the ground,” he notes.
Kaloga MCG is among 281 such groups established by Mhen and its focal organisations through the five-year Health Systems and Immunisation Strengthening (Hsis) project.
Mhen implements Hsis in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and aims to boost vaccine demand and coverage across the country, especially in urban slums and hard-to-reach rural areas.
Hsis is a Government of Malawi project funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
It aligns with the country’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the targets of ending preventable deaths of new-borns and children under-five by 2030.
This entails reducing neonatal mortality to at least 12 deaths per 1 000 live births and under-five mortality to at least 25 deaths per 1 000 live births.
Beyond tracking defaulters, Kaloga MCG actively identifies and addresses barriers to vaccination.
The group’s chairperson Nova Maloga recalls their initial challenge: “In the past, women used to walk long distances with babies strapped on their backs to access vaccines at Chabvala Health Centre.
“This was not only hard and time-consuming, it was also discouraging most women from taking their babies to be vaccinated at the health centre.”
In response, they engaged local chiefs, health workers and communities to establish vaccine clinics within the villages, even if it meant conducting them under trees.
But the rainy season posed challenges, with clinics being cancelled due to lack of shelter.
Undeterred, Kaloga MCG and community leaders in the area mobilised people to construct an under-five clinic shelter.
“Chiefs asked their people and well-wishers to help build the shelter. Everyone contributed—some moulded bricks, others fetched water, sand and stones.
“Each household contributed money to pay the builders. Some well-wishers contributed cement and iron sheets. Eventually, we built this under-five clinic shelter,” Maloga shares proudly.
The group’s proactive approach extends further. They are currently constructing a house to accommodate an HSA within the village.
“Having a health worker based here means children can receive treatment promptly when they fall sick,” says Maloga.
The group has also built toilets at the shelter and sourced eight chairs from well-wishers.
Wofad also acknowledges Kaloga MCG’s achievements.
“You are doing a wonderful job,” Wofad executive director Lindiwe Matanya told the group during a recent visit. “Please keep up the momentum. Your work is saving lives.”
The women are now lobbying Blantyre DHO for a solar-powered refrigerator to safely store vaccines on-site.
Blantyre District director of health and social services Dr. Gift Kawalazira, acknowledges the impact of MCGs.
“They have helped us improve both demand for and access to vaccines. That is why Blantyre is shining in immunisation coverage,” he explains.
Thanks to the efforts of its 32 MCGs, Blantyre DHO now boasts an immunisation coverage rate of over 90 percent, surpassing the national target of 80 percent.
The district recently received an award from the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Unit for outstanding vaccine coverage.
Blantyre DHO spokesperson Chrissy Banda attributes the recognition to MCGs and the Ministry of Health’s efforts.
“These awards go to zones that have made significant strides in improving vaccine uptake. Our MCGs are a key part of that success.
“The ministry, through Blantyre DHO, has also significantly increased centres where children can access the vaccines,” she states.
Mhen executive director George Jobe describes MCGs as “game-changers”.
He adds: “They are mobilising communities, constructing shelters, and even building houses for HSAs. Their contribution is making a real difference in health outcomes.”
Despite the achievements, challenges remain.
Kaloga MCG operates without a solar refrigerator and depends on monthly vaccine deliveries which are vulnerable to delays.
Mhen is implementing the Hsis project in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Dowa, Ntchisi, Kasungu, Mzimba South, Mzimba North and Chitipa districts.
In each district, Mhen and the Ministry of Health identified areas with low immunisation coverage and established MCGs in both urban slums and hard-to-reach rural areas.
The project, according to Mhen, is not only about boosting immunisation rates, but also improving access to the broader essential health package, especially for populations historically left out due to geographic, socioeconomic or cultural challenges.
“Our goal is to ensure that no child is left behind because of where they live or how much money their parents have. The mother care groups are helping us to bridge that gap,” explains Jobe.
Back in Kaloga, Miliyasi remains resolute in her mission: “We do this work because we care for our children. If they are healthy, they can grow, go to school, and have a better future. That is what drives us.”
As Malawi works toward achieving universal vaccine coverage, the story of Kaloga MCG serves as a powerful reminder of the change that can happen when communities are empowered, women are trusted leaders, and health systems integrate local solutions.
