Bridging the Distance: Closing the Immunisation Gap in Mangochi, Malawi

In Minandi, a small village served by Misesa Outreach Clinic in Mangochi, change is taking place. Mothers like Siphat Winasi and Zione Duwa no longer have to walk long distances or spend money on transport to vaccinate their children. Instead, life-saving immunization services are brought right to their doorsteps. Behind this transformation are dedicated health workers and volunteers, Malawi’s unsung heroes of immunization.

For 28-year-old Siphat, a mother of four, the outreach clinic is more than a convenience, it’s a lifeline. 

“The nearest health centre is far,” she explains. “With the clinic here, I can get all the services I need and be home by 10 a.m. to take care of my children.”

For Zione, the clinic means saving 2,000 Kwacha she would have spent on transport to Mulibwanji Community Hospital.

“That money goes towards food for my family,” she says. “And I never miss the clinic because I want my baby to get all the vaccines needed to grow healthy.”

But these success stories wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of health workers like Chikumbutso Mkanda, a Health Surveillance Assistant (HSA) who has served at Misesa Outreach Clinic for years. Thanks to training supported by Amref Health Africa in Malawi with funding from the Pfizer Foundation, Chikumbutso has learned critical skills like microplanning and defaulter tracing, helping him identify children who miss vaccines and ensure they are followed up.

“The training has really helped us,” he says. “We can now keep better records, plan for every child, and track those who haven’t received their vaccines. The ‘My Village, My Home’ toolkit has made it easier to see exactly which children we need to reach.”

Community Champions Leading the Way

Working alongside Chikumbutso is Pauline Munthali, a committed member of the Village Health Committee (VHC). Pauline sees herself as a bridge between the health system and her neighbors. 

“If a child misses a vaccination, we visit that household to talk with the family about why vaccines are important,” she says.

Pauline recently attended a refresher training, the first in five years, organized through the Pfizer-funded Fighting Vaccine Preventable Diseases Project. 

“It was so helpful,” she shares. “I feel more confident in my role, and I’m motivated because I want every child here to grow up healthy and strong.”

Turning Training into Impact

The project, implemented by Amref Health Africa in partnership with Malawi’s Ministry of Health, has trained over 92 Community Health Workers (CHWs) and 320 Village Health Committee in Mangochi. These trainings focus on defaulter tracing, data use, and mapping zero-dose children, those who have never received a single vaccine.

The impact is clear. Serving a population of 1,102 people (including 185 children under five), Misesa Outreach Clinic provided services to 141 people in July alone. Trained CHWs and volunteers not only deliver routine immunizations but also integrate health education on malaria, nutrition, and family planning.

As Malawi pushes forward in its fight against vaccine-preventable diseases, these frontline workers and volunteers stand at the heart of the effort. They walk long distances, knock on doors, and engage parents in conversations that save lives. Their dedication ensures that no child is left behind.

Health heroes like Chikumbutso and Pauline remind us that the path to health equity begins with empowered communities, people who know their neighbors, understand their needs, and work tirelessly to protect the next generation.