Malawi Hosts Training Workshop to Boost Pandemic Response Skills
Organisers expect the training to strengthen Malawi's capacity to respond to future health emergencies through improved community engagement and monitoring systems.
SALIMA, Malawi — Members of civil society organisations and government officials will gather next week for a three-day workshop aimed at strengthening Malawi's pandemic preparedness through community engagement, with ActionAid Malawi leading the initiative, writes Winston Mwale.
The training of trainers workshop, scheduled for Nov. 12-14, will combine practical training with policy discussions to enhance community-led monitoring of health systems.
The agenda includes sessions on Malawi's pandemic policies led by the Department of Disaster Management and practical modules on community engagement.
The workshop will emphasise the intersection between pandemic preparedness and existing health challenges.
Key sessions will address coalition building, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based advocacy.
Participants will work in groups to develop practical community engagement strategies and integrate pandemic preparedness into existing monitoring frameworks.
The final day will focus on administrative arrangements and selecting priority indicators for pandemic preparedness monitoring.
Sessions will cover data collection methodologies, partnership expansion, and reporting templates for participating organisations.
Government representatives from the Public Health Institute of Malawi and Preventive Health Services will participate alongside civil society groups including MANET+, MANASO, and World Vision Malawi.
The workshop will also feature representatives from the media, religious organisations and HIV/AIDS advocacy groups.
The initiative builds on lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising the role of community-led monitoring in protecting vulnerable populations during health crises.
Organisers expect the training to strengthen Malawi's capacity to respond to future health emergencies through improved community engagement and monitoring systems.
The workshop is part of the broader COPPER CLM program, which aims to enhance community participation in health governance and pandemic preparedness across the country.