Malawi has made progress in maternal and child health, with 97 percent of expectant mothers delivering at health facilities and 90 percent of children under the age of five receiving vaccinations.
However, gaps in early antenatal care attendance and child immunisation, particularly in urban areas, remain a concern.
The findings are contained in the Countdown to 2030 study conducted by the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), which assesses Malawi’s progress in Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Adolescent and Child Health and Nutrition (RMNCH-N) towards achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The study team leader, Professor Adamson Muula, said the findings reflect progress in the country’s efforts to improve maternal and child health services.
Muula said the research used data covering the period from 2020 to 2025, obtained from health facility records, the Ministry of Health’s National Health Information System and United Nations health estimates.
Presenting the findings, one of the researchers, Vincent Samuel Phiri, said there is a need to encourage expectant mothers to start antenatal care visits early to improve maternal health outcomes.
Phiri also called for more efforts to address child vaccination gaps, particularly in urban areas, where coverage remains a challenge.
He said the study further helps validate information submitted by health facilities, which is essential for improving the quality and reliability of health data used in planning and decision-making.
By Secret Segula
