Where We Work | Malawi
Quality health care for 1 million more
Under-reached Malawians.
Our Work in Malawi
VillageReach has worked in Malawi since 2008, collaborating with the Ministry of Health (MoH), the private sector and other partners to develop and implement high-impact sustainable solutions and programs, including Chipatala cha pa Foni (Health Center by Phone), the Kwitanda Community Health Program, and OpenLMIS.
VillageReach supports governments to reach health-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators with the aim of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030. But progress is too slow. We are focused on innovation at scale to sustain responsive primary health systems.
Resources
Rethinking Integration, Focusing on Networking and Coordination
Closing the Gender Gap: Community-Driven Solutions to Boost Women’s Use of National Health Hotlines
Closing the 9-Month Immunization Gap: Malawi
Strengthening Lab Transport Systems to Stop Outbreaks: Program Highlights (July–December 2025)
A qualitative, participatory study to identify barriers and facilitators to women’s uptake of National Health Hotline Solutions in Malawi and Mozambique
National Telehealth Communities of Practice Overview
Identifying context- specific drivers of routine childhood immunisation dropout in Mozambique and Malawi: a secondary thematic analysis of qualitative community- based participatory research data
Educational Pathways for a Skilled Supply Chain Workforce
Technical Brief – Designing a Smarter Cold Chain System in Malawi
VillageReach Lab Sample Transport Portfolio
Press Release – VillageReach Commences Program to Strengthen Epidemic Preparedness and Response Across Africa
Newsletter- Strengthening Lab Transport to Stop Outbreaks – First Edition -2025
Malawi’s Journey to Responsive PHC
VillageReach Malawi 2024 Report
A perspective on essential components for adaptability and scalability to enhance equity-driven vaccination interventions: lessons from Mozambique and Malawi
Watch & Learn
A Health Center in Every Malawian’s Home (7:49)
This video tells the story of Taurai, a young woman and CCPF youth champion, and Gloria, who is a mother and volunteer. Both of them have had their own positive and unique experiences with CCPF and are now committed to promoting the national hotline in their communities. The video also includes MoHP’s perspective on CCPF as told by Dr. Nedson Fosiko, Deputy Director of Clinical Services.
The Voice of Hope (5:19)
Beyond The Last Mile (8:00)
Webinar with Malawi Ministry of Health (1:00:04)
Malawi by the Numbers
21M estimated population
80% employed in agriculture
450 facilities received PPE in 2020-21
540% more calls to CCPF in 2020-21
Our Malawi team is led by Country Director Ndasowa Chitule
We are committed to our strong collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners in Malawi to ensure that every Malawian, even in the remotest parts of the country, has access to quality health care and information. We will support and scale innovative solutions to strengthen health systems and address emergencies, which are exacerbated by climate change.”
Reaching Hawa
Impact Story
On the other end of the line was Wellington, a Chipatala cha pa Foni (Health Center by Phone) hotline worker trained to triage callers over the phone and make referrals to additional services and support. After the call, Wellington and his team did some quick research and discovered that an annual fistula repair clinic was being held in the area within weeks. Soon after, Hawa was in a recovery room at Bwaila Maternity Hospital in Lilongwe, smiling. She is surrounded by others like her who have just undergone a simple, but life-changing surgery.
A Mother’s Journey
Impact Story
Chipatala cha pa Foni is a very good service, a lot of people are being helped and they don’t have to travel to the hospital anymore.”
When Patuma called Chipatala cha pa Foni (Health Center by Phone), a hotline worker advised her of several techniques to alleviate Pricilla’s nose bleeds, such as a cold compress on the forehead, staying out of the sun, and good nutrition. After several weeks, Patuma called the hotline again – this time to thank them for helping her daughter, noting a marked improvement in Pricilla’s condition.
Drones – Aiding Health Service Delivery and Cholera Intervention in Southern Malawi
Impact Story
Patients were not being treated on time in the absence of laboratory results as they waited for them from the district health office, but this has now changed.”
Drones—remotely piloted aircrafts—are helping to save lives across many countries in the world, and Malawi is no exception. Drones help improve access to vaccines, lab samples and medical products in low-resource environments and hard-to-reach areas, thereby helping to prevent deaths from curable diseases like cholera.
Father of two Lonjezo Nkhungwa, a laboratory manager at the Trinity Hospital in Nsanje, which is one of the hardest to reach health facilities in the country, attests to these benefits.
