President Peter Mutharika has issued an executive order mandating immediate improvements to sanitation and hygiene facilities across public spaces, workplaces, and schools in response to a rising number of cholera cases, according to the Nation Online. Order Number 2 of 2026, issued on March 1, requires all markets, bus depots, and educational institutions to provide and maintain proper waste disposal facilities. The directive comes as Malawi works to mitigate the threat of waterborne diseases. The country has recorded 102 confirmed cholera cases and two deaths between December 2025 and late February 2026.
In a related public health development, Parliament has ordered the Lilongwe City Council to immediately close the Mtaya dumpsite in Area 38, Nyasa Times reports. The Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Climate Change cited the severe negative impact the site has on the health of surrounding communities. The committee expressed frustration over years of delays and directed the council to submit a clear relocation roadmap. The city council has until March 30 to identify a consultant for an environmental and social impact assessment to move the waste facility to Nalikule.
Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman has called on lawmakers to strengthen policies regarding sexual and reproductive health rights in Malawi. According to Southern Africa Youth News, Suleman made the appeal following engagements with the Southern Africa Youth Forum and the SADC Parliamentary Forum. While acknowledging national progress in reducing maternal mortality, the Speaker warned that teenage pregnancies, child marriage, and gender-based violence remain significant public health challenges requiring stricter legal frameworks.
Efforts to combat malaria are also advancing in remote parts of the country. A March 3 update from GAIA Global Health highlighted that government health teams are actively dispensing the newly approved childhood malaria vaccine in rural Malawian clinics. The rollout marks a major step forward in paediatric healthcare, bringing years of medical research and preventive treatment directly to vulnerable populations who previously had limited access to care.