A recent study indicates that standard body mass index (BMI) measurements are missing dangerous levels of abdominal fat in nearly a quarter of adult patients attending diabetes clinics at Malawi's top three hospitals. According to Nation Online, the research published in the journal Diseases assessed 1,356 patients at Mzuzu, Kamuzu, and Zomba central hospitals. Researchers warn that relying solely on BMI can prevent high-risk individuals from receiving essential counselling, and they urge healthcare workers to incorporate waist-to-height ratio measurements using tape measures during routine screenings.
Update: As the Global Fund dispute continues to threaten essential health interventions, a coalition of faith leaders is demanding urgent transparency over the stalled selection of a Principal Recipient. Nyasa Times reports that the Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV and AIDS (MANERELA+) and the Malawi Interfaith Aids Association (MIAA) have warned that the standoff within the Country Coordinating Mechanism could jeopardize a $437.9 million health package for 2027 to 2030. The groups stress that further delays put life-saving resources for HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria programs at severe risk.
Update: The Ministry of Health's Measles-Rubella Supplementary Vaccination Campaign has entered its fourth day of implementation, with Emergency Operations Centres monitoring the nationwide rollout. According to the Ministry, national and district-level teams are actively coordinating resources, addressing operational challenges, and tracking missed children to maximize immunization coverage before the campaign concludes.