Update: Vice-President Dr. Jane Mayemu Ansah marked Mother's Day on Thursday by donating food items worth K15 million to patients at the Kamuzu Central Hospital National Cancer Centre in Lilongwe, according to Nyasa Times and Malawi24. As a cancer survivor, Ansah used the October 15 hospital visit to comfort patients in the lymphoma ward, encourage early medical testing and praise the daily dedication of local healthcare workers and patient guardians.
In an advance for national oncology policy, Malawi has launched its first National Breast Health Guidelines, reports the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). The guidelines are the result of the Akazi project, an initiative started in 2018 by Malawian clinicians, the Ministry of Health and international researchers to address delayed breast cancer diagnoses and define clear medical referral pathways across the country.
Furthermore, efforts to address cervical cancer are expanding. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on Thursday that it is increasing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations, testing and treatment programs alongside the Ministry of Health. MSF noted that its palliative care teams have assisted more than 2,700 Malawian women with late-stage cervical cancer, bringing medical support directly to their homes so they do not have to travel long distances for care.
In public health technology, residents in Lilongwe's Mtandire area are now using high-resolution drone mapping to track infectious disease risks, according to CCODE Malawi. The geospatial mapping project, organized this week with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and local health surveillance assistants, identifies flooding and sanitation risks to help communities prevent climate-driven disease outbreaks.