A severe fuel shortage in Malawi is disrupting essential services nationwide, including the healthcare sector. AllAfrica reports that the crisis, driven by foreign exchange deficits, has led to long queues at filling stations and is crippling medical operations, transportation, and agriculture.
In Blantyre, pediatric cancer patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital are benefiting from a specialized hospital classroom initiative. According to OncoDaily, the program, supported by World Child Cancer, enables children undergoing extensive treatments to continue their education, socialize with peers, and maintain a sense of routine during their recovery.
Additionally, a new time-and-motion study on Malawi's health system revealed that healthcare workers spend a median of 7.35 hours per day on duty, but only 2.82 hours in direct patient care. The research, published on medRxiv on May 6, noted that limited patient-facing time coupled with high patient loads poses a challenge for service delivery. Researchers indicated this issue requires attention as the health sector prepares for anticipated donor funding cuts.