Malawi TB programme earns recognition

Malawi’s National Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy Elimination Programme has earned praise at the ongoing East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) forum for innovative and creative interventions in TB management .

Speaking on Wednesday in Kigali, Rwand, ECSA-HC director general Yoswa Dambisya said Malawi has performed extremely well on improving TB laboratory diagnostic services, one of the main areas under the World Bank-funded Southern Africa Tuberculosis Health Support System Project.

He said: “The improvement in the rating of the laboratories which have shown progressive improvement, include the National TB Reference Laboratory which was accredited by International Organisation for Standardisation [ISO], is extremely important.

“This means that the criteria for quality control, including good facilities and equipment, quick turnaround time for samples and sample referral systems, have contributed in TB detection.”

Dambisya further said Malawi is a shining example of community TB diagnosis and management attracting many countries to learn from it.

Norman Khoza, senior Occupation Safety and Health specialist for African Union (AU) Development Agency, the developmental arm of the AU, said Malawi has moved fast to establish occupational health service centres, which it had none before for medically checking workers.

“The country has also initiated surveillance for early TB diagnosis, thus preventing further escalation of lung diseases,” he said.

Ministry of Health principal secretary responsible for administration Beston Chisamile said four Malawi laboratories have been accredited by the ISO and the country has also innovated the web-based TB electronic-health system which has helped to track and manage TB patients, thereby increasing treatment adherence.

National Tuberculosis (TB) and Leprosy Elimination Programme manager James Mpunga said Malawi has received good feedback on disease surveillance and response from the World Bank team despite challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Despite performing well, Malawi needs to work on sustainability because the domestic envelope is shrinking as we rely heavily on donors. “Moving forward, we need to sustain the gains using local resources and perhaps new partners.”