TURNING HEALTH COMMITMENTS INTO ACTION: MALAWI’S NEW DIGITAL ADVOCACY HUB FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND ADOLESCENTS

Group photo of participants who attended the Digital Hub launch in Lilongwe

1 August 2024 marked a significant moment for Malawi’s health sector. At the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, delegates gathered to witness the unveiling of a Digital Advocacy Hub by the Ministry of Health’s Reproductive Health Directorate in collaboration with Amref Health Africa Malawi. This innovative platform is designed to support the Government of Malawi’s commitments to enhance the health and well-being of women, children, and adolescents.

Developed with support from the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health (PMNCH) and hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the hub is a comprehensive tool for tracking commitments across various sectors. It also aims to mobilize resources and foster collaboration among government entities and other stakeholders involved in health services.

Doreen Namagetsi Ali, Director of the Reproductive Health Directorate, highlighted the importance of the digital hub. 

“The Digital Hub serves as a baseline for monitoring the implementation of various commitments made and as an advocacy tool to garner collaboration and support from other stakeholders to ensure the achievement of the targets,” she stated.

The hub’s significance extends beyond tracking commitments, it represents a new era of transparency and accountability in Malawi’s health sector. Dr. Matthews Ngwale, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, emphasized this point, noting that the hub will make information about the government’s progress readily accessible to the public.

“This hub is about collecting all commitments that Malawi makes and putting them in one place, making it available for everyone to have access to that information,” he explained.

The Digital Hub is not just a tool for government officials and stakeholders; it is open to the general public, media practitioners, and all those interested in the health and well-being of Malawi’s population.

Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu, Amref Malawi Country Director, stated “Today is a big day because we are looking at commitments that government has made for the people it serves. We are here to launch the Malawi Digital Advocacy Hub but also to invite all of you to take part in this multi-stakeholder platform where all of us are going to combine our efforts and support government, specifically the Ministry of Health, to ensure commitments are fulfilled.”

Central to the hub’s mission is the commitment to improving maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and adolescent well-being (AWB). By identifying priority goals, the hub will drive the necessary collaborative action to achieve them.

from left to right: The Director of Reproductive Health Services, Amref Malawi Country Director, The Secretary for Health, the Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Health.

Hester Nyasulu, Amref Malawi’s Country Director, delivers his speech at the unveiling of the Digital Hub.

The development of the Digital Hub is part of the broader Collaborative Advocacy Action Plan (CAAP) initiative, which aims to transform the Government of Malawi’s commitments into tangible improvements. The launch of the hub is a testament to innovation, collaboration, and commitment to advancing progress. It is more than a platform; it is a promise to Malawi’s women, children, and adolescents that their health and well-being remain a national priority.

By: Lusayo Banda, Communications Manager, Amref Health Africa Malawi