Published: 4 April 2023

The burden of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Africa continues to be a major public health concern, with millions of people at risk of contracting these debilitating diseases. Endemic to over ten (10) NTDs, Malawi is keen on driving action in the control and elimination of these diseases for an NTD-free future. In pursuit of this, the country’s NTD Program convened a week-long decentralization workshop from 27^th to 31^st March 2023 to facilitate the cascading of its national NTD scorecard at the subnational level.

Speaking at the workshop, which was held in Mangochi District, John Chiphwanya, coordinator of the Schistosomiasis, Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis and Lymphatic Filariasis programs and the NTD Scorecard Focal Point, noted that Malawi has recently developed a second generation NTD masterplan to run from 2023 to 2030. Among the key pillars of the plan is to deepen country ownership of the NTD program and enhance domestic resource mobilization.

Malawi adopted the use of the scorecard in 2019 where ALMA trained program managers at the national level on the use of the tool. “Using the scorecard, we can populate data on NTDs in our radar and track progress. This helps us improve in areas where we are not doing well so that we achieve the 2030 targets in the NTD masterplan,” notes John.

Indicators on the Malawi NTD scorecard are currently eighteen (18). These according to Laston Sitima, coordinator of the Onchocerciasis program are set to increase based on the decentralization workshop which saw some programs broaden the scope of their indicators. Overall, Malawi has prioritized indicators in program management, monitoring and evaluation, surveillance, mass drug administration treatment coverage, and case management.

The March 2023 workshop extended the NTD scorecard to the zonal and district levels, with the aim of improving implementation and tracking. It brought together NTD program coordinators from twelve (12) of Malawi’s twenty-nine (29) districts, building on previous training sessions. A refresher training for those involved in a similar decentralization in 2019 will be conducted over the year as well as reach out to the remaining districts.

Since its roll out, the implementation of the NTD scorecard in Malawi has resulted in an increase in the country’s ownership and accountability for achieving results. Moreover, it has fostered greater coordination between various NTD programs. According to John Chiphwanya, the NTD scorecard has helped unite the NTD program in Malawi by providing a platform for disease focal points to come together, plan together, share information, and establish common objectives.

Looking ahead, Malawi aims to eliminate Schistosomiasis, Soil Transmitted Helminthiases (STH), and Onchocerciasis, as well as control NTDs like Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) by 2030. This is in line with the country’s success in eliminating Trachoma in 2022 and Leprosy and Lymphatic Filariasis in previous years. These aspirations are also in line with the WHO NTD roadmap, which aims to eliminate at least one NTD in 100 countries by 2030. Funding is critical to achieving these elimination goals, and the lack of it is a significant obstacle to controlling and eliminating NTDs in Malawi and other African countries alike.

In 2022, His Excellency President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of Malawi joined other country leaders from around the continent and the world in signing the Kigali Declaration on Malaria and NTDs. Speaking in support of the Declaration aimed at mobilizing political will, community commitment, resources and action and securing commitments needed to end suffering caused by NTDs, President Chakwera noted, “whatever investment we have to make to eradicate NTDs in low-income countries and vulnerable countries, we must remember that they are worth it. We must never give up!”

John Chiphwanya noted with optimism an increase in budgetary allocation to each NTD program in the country’s new financial year commencing 1^st April 2023. He attributes this to President Chakwera’s commitment to the fight against NTDs and envisions that the newly released NTD master plan for 2023-2030 alongside the NTD scorecard will serve as a strong advocacy tool to aid the NTD program in resource mobilization. By providing ongoing assistance with the implementation and evaluation of the NTD scorecard, ALMA will continue to support Malawi in achieving its goals.