As Malawi celebrates its first anniversary after formally closing its reimported wild poliovirus (WPV1) outbreak, the nation is taking strategic steps to maintain hard-won positive aspects and strengthen its broader well being system. On 24 April 2025, well being leaders, companions, and stakeholders gathered for the Nationwide Polio Transition Planning assembly, an vital milestone in guaranteeing that the infrastructure constructed to eradicate polio continues to serve Malawi’s communities for years to return.
From Polio Response to Lengthy-Time period Resilience
Polio sources – from educated personnel to illness surveillance systems-have performed a key function in emergency well being responses throughout Malawi. The transition planning course of goals to guard these belongings and guarantee their integration into the nationwide well being system. According to the Polio Transition Strategic Framework, Malawi’s plan helps nationwide possession of important polio features, together with surveillance, immunization, and outbreak response.
“Transitioning from GPEI help means we should strengthen our skill to handle core features nationally. That is very important to maintain Malawi polio-free and enhance our capability to detect and reply to different vaccine-preventable ailments,” mentioned Dr. Patrick Wataya Chirwa, Chair of the Nationwide Certification Committee.
In Could 2020, Malawi (alongside the remainder of the African Area) was licensed freed from indigenous wild poliovirus. Nonetheless, the detection of a reimported case from Southern Asia in 2022 served as a strong reminder that polio stays a worldwide menace. Malawi’s well being authorities responded swiftly and decisively, efficiently interrupting transmission by Could 2024.
By January 2025, the International Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) had labeled the nation as low-risk on its world polio watchlist—a testomony to Malawi’s robust response and surveillance methods.
Nonetheless, sustaining that standing means planning for the longer term. As exterior polio funding declines, Malawi should shut gaps in workforce and financing. The Polio Transition Plan will assist safe vital capacities and align them with the Ministry of Well being-led Immunization Programme, reinforcing the nation’s skill to stop and reply to outbreaks.
Sarah Wanyoike, from WHO AFRO’s Japanese and Southern Africa inter-country help group, highlighted how classes from Malawi’s latest outbreak response can form a stronger, extra resilient well being system. “We should combine service supply and strengthen surveillance throughout the board—not only for polio, however for all vaccine-preventable ailments,” she mentioned.
The plan focuses on optimizing present methods, integrating surveillance efforts, and constructing multisectoral collaboration, linking immunization, emergency preparedness, One Well being approaches, and group engagement.
On the assembly, Dr. Neema Kimambo, WHO Consultant to Malawi, emphasised that the transition isn’t just a well being sector accountability. It requires cross-cutting collaboration amongst authorities businesses, native well being authorities, companions, and civil society.
“Malawi’s success will rely on robust coordination between the Ministry of Well being, EPI, the Public Well being Institute of Malawi, district councils, well being companions, NGOs, and communities themselves,” Dr. Kimambo famous.
These efforts purpose to make sure that the methods and data constructed via the polio programme proceed to learn Malawians, supporting the whole lot from emergency response to routine immunization and illness surveillance.
Malawi’s Nationwide Polio Transition Plan is a blueprint not just for sustaining polio eradication efforts but additionally for advancing common well being protection and fairness. Because the nation strikes from emergency response to long-term resilience, WHO and companions stay dedicated to supporting a easy and sustainable transition—serving to Malawi keep polio-free and more healthy for generations to return.