Update: Four days of heavy rainfall in Malawi have resulted in at least 13 deaths and 35 injuries, according to the disaster management department. The severe flooding, which occurred between Sunday and Wednesday, prompted authorities to establish three evacuation camps in the worst-hit southern district of Chikwawa. The national weather service expects more rainfall in the coming days, raising further public health and emergency response requirements, Agence France-Presse reports.
In maternal health developments, Malawi has been selected as a focus country for the new SUPREME initiative, backed by a $52 million investment from Unitaid. According to the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the project aims to expand access to essential care for pregnant women, focusing on severe preeclampsia and anemia. Working alongside the Ministry of Health and Amref Health Africa, the effort will address supply chain gaps and improve the availability of critical treatments such as magnesium sulfate.
Additionally, the Kamuzu Central Hospital laboratory has achieved full accreditation from the World Health Organization to serve as the national hub for confirming measles and rubella cases. The WHO Regional Office for Africa reports that the facility scored 94 percent on its general assessment, improving the country's ability to detect outbreaks rapidly and guide national immunization campaigns.
Update: Health stakeholders have finalised 2026 operational plans following a review of recent vaccination efforts. According to the WHO, Malawi achieved a 91 percent coverage rate for its recent HPV campaign and successfully deployed over 33,000 doses during a reactive Mpox vaccination drive across 12 priority districts.
In a separate health and human rights development, civil society advocates are warning of a resurgence of violence against persons with albinism. FairPlanet reports that the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi has documented new cases of attacks, abductions, and grave tampering in Mulanje, Kasungu, and Dowa. The Malawi Police Service has recorded at least four incidents recently, prompting calls for a renewed national protection plan.