The Malawi NCDI Poverty Commission officially published and launched its national report on 21 August 2018. To read the full report, click here.
The Malawi NCDI Poverty Commission is co-chaired by Dr. Jones Kaponda Masiye (Ministry of Health, Malawi) and Dr. Emily Wroe (Partners In Health), and comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Health and supporting partners. Expert Commissioners hail from the Malawi National NCD and Mental Health Unit, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Mzuzu Central Hospital, University of Malawi - College of Medicine, Partners In Health, Dignitas International, MEIRU, Lighthouse Trust, and Baobab Health Trust.
The Commission met for the second time in Lilongwe on the 21st of February, 2019 to discuss data analysis progress and set priority NCDI conditions. The meeting was broken into two workshops. In the first, Commissioners worked on determining a list of priority conditions based on Global Burden of Disease data and considering different metrics of burden and severity of disease and poverty. Commissioners then met in small groups and discussed the role of the identified conditions in the Malawian context. The second workshop focused on determining effective interventions known in Malawi or elsewhere that tackled these conditions. Moving forward, the Commission will finalize a list of priority conditions and interventions. Next steps will be to collect financial data on these interventions so that the Commission can advocate for priority interventions.
The Commission is also supporting PEN Plus stakeholder national operational planning. Dr. Jones Kaponda Masiye (Ministry of Health, Malawi) and Dr. Emily Wroe (Partners In Health), co-chaired a meeting on Thursday March 5, 2020 in Lilongwe to gather PEN Plus stakeholders to further national operational planning and work on strategic next steps. More than 30 people were in attendance representing the Ministry of Health, local health care providers, researchers and patient advocacy organizations. During the meeting, participants broke out into smaller working groups to provide valuable input on three important sections of the operational plan. Members continue to draft sections of the plan and expect to reconvene in the near future.
Commission Co-Chairs
Jones Kaponda Masiye (MPH, MD)
Dr. Jones Masiye is a medical doctor and trained public health scientist specialized in health education and promotion. He is currently the Deputy Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Clinical services for the Ministry of Health, Malawi. Dr. Masiye also serves as Project Manager for the World Diabetes Foundation’s Diabetes and Hypertension Control Project in Malawi. In both positions Dr. Masiye works with communities to educate patients on the risks and dangers of NCDs and improve the capacity of community health workers. Dr. Masiye is also the treasurer of the Medical Doctors Union of Malawi. Previously, Dr. Masiye has held positions as a District Medical Officer of the Dowa District Council and a District Health officer of the Neno District Council.
Emily Wroe (MPH, MD)
Dr. Emily Wroe is the Chief Medical Officer for Partners In Health (PIH) in Malawi. Dr. Wroe received her MD from Harvard Medical School in 2010, and her MPH from Harvard School of Public Health in 2015. She then completed the Doris and Howard Hiatt Residency in Global Health Equity (GHE) and Internal Medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. In her current role she works closely with the Ministry of Health and the PIH team to strengthen healthcare delivery in the rural district of Neno and support medical education and research. Recently, she has led the team to redesign the HIV care delivery platform into an integrated approach including all chronic conditions, launch new community initiatives aimed at disease screening in remote areas, and implemented a mentorship program for clinical staff. Her academic interests center around implementation and evaluation of health delivery systems that are innovative and community-based.
Commissioners
Alemayehu Ambersir - Epidemiologist, Dignitas International
Grace Banda - Emergency Medicine Specialist, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital
Josh Berman - Research & Knowledge Translation Manager, Dignitas International
Sosten Chilumpha - Independent Consultant
John Chipolobwe - Physician, Mzuzu Central Hospital
Lilian Chunda - Head of the Medical Department, Kamuzu Central Hospital
Mia Crampin - Director, MEIRU
Katie Cundale - Research Fellow, Partners In Health Malawi
Luckson Dullie - Executive Director, Malawi, Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo
Beth Dunbar - Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Partners In Health/Abwenzi Pa Za Umoyo
Satish Gopal - Cancer Program Director, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital/ UNC Project-Malawi
Noel Kasomekera - NCD Technical Assistant, Ministry of Health, Malawi/Partners In Health
Chawanangwa Lupafya - Product Manager, Baobab Health Trust
Ronald Manjomo - Monitoring, Evaluation & Research, Baobab Health Trust
Leo Masamba - Oncologist, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital
Jones Masiye - Ministry of Health, Malawi
Adamson Muula - Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, College of Medicine - University of Malawi
Beatrice Mwagomba - Medical Director, Lighthouse Trust
Dan Namarika - Secretary for Health, Ministry of Health
Dominic Nkhoma - Chief of Planning, Ministry of Health
Moffat Nyirenda - NCD Theme Lead, MRC-UVRI Uganda
Colin Pfaff - District Medical Director, Dignitas International
Sam Phiri - Director, Lighthouse Trust
Michael Udedi - Assistant Director of NCDs and Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Malawi