The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is helping to strengthen Malawi’s health sector with the launch of four new nutrition support and malaria elimination programs. The projects carry a combined value of up to $127 million (approximately 130 billion MWK) over five years.
Announced and officially launched by the Honorable Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda and USAID’s Acting Deputy Mission Director Natalie Thunberg, two projects named MOMENTUM Tiyeni and MOMENTUM Ukweze Umoyo will support the Government of Malawi’s essential health services’ needs. The Leveraging Local Capacity to Strengthen Health Service Delivery-Towards Malaria Elimination project will address malaria prevention and treatment. Let Them Grow Healthy (Akule ndi Thanzi) will support the National Multi-Sector Nutrition Policy. For this project, USAID anticipates investing $23 million, coupled with a $23 million match from the private sector.
These projects will enable more mothers and babies to thrive through the 1,000 days of pregnancy and infancy. They will allow more adolescent girls, women, and couples to access family planning services so they are empowered to decide when, how often, or if they will have children.
The projects will also provide more communities with the information and skills to demand better health services from their local health facilities. They will help Malawians to grow more nutritious foods, providing their communities with more affordable and accessible protein and micronutrients. Finally, they will enhance the ability of health workers to treat malaria and meet the next pandemic when it comes.
Malawi has achieved dramatic gains in several health indicators over the past decade by focusing on improved delivery of essential health services. With support from the U.S. government, Malawi has made significant progress in maternal and child health, for example, reducing mortality for children under age five by 50 percent and malaria-related mortality by 43 percent since 2010. The new USAID projects will build on previous successes and partner with the Government of Malawi to continue making progress.
Joni Waldron/USAID