By Rosalia Kapiri

Lilongwe, September 17, Mana: As Malawi gears up to host the Global Fund Board Meeting in November, a team preparing for the mega event embarked on a site visit on Tuesday, touring various health facilities in Lilongwe. The team visited the Kamuzu Central Hospital's Lighthouse, Area 25 Health Centre’s KP Drop-in Centre, and the National Reference Laboratory.

Global Fund, a worldwide initiative dedicated to combating HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, has played a significant role in Malawi's healthcare progress. The country showcases numerous achievements from Global Fund-supported programs in these areas.

During the site visit at Kamuzu Central Hospital’s Lighthouse, Medical Director Dr. Ethel Rambiki shared insights into the facility’s operations.

"The Lighthouse is a public trust strategically positioned in central hospitals, and we have been operating for 20 years. We receive referrals from districts and provide complex HIV care management, prevention, and treatment services. Currently, we have over 89,000 recipients of care across the nation under the Lighthouse Trust, with vital support from organizations like the Global Fund," explained Dr. Rambiki.

Joseph Bitilinyu, Deputy Director in the Ministry of Health, emphasized the critical role the Global Fund has played in advancing diagnostic capabilities in Malawi.

He said: “Before the Global Fund’s assistance, we had to send samples to South Africa for testing pandemics like COVID-19 and cholera, which was costly. Now, the National Reference Lab is capable of diagnosing these pandemics on its own. Thanks to the Global Fund, we have four sites that can detect TB, enabling us to provide test results in time as well as targeted treatments. Similar support is offered for HIV treatments, helping us monitor patient responses in real time.”

Rhoda Banda, Deputy Manager of the Global Fund-Gavi Program Implementation Unit, highlighted the long-standing partnership between Malawi and the Global Fund.

“We’ve partnered with Malawi since 2002. With the current Cycle 7 support, the focus includes laboratory systems, which ensures sustainable support that complements the government’s efforts," Banda said.

The Global Fund team will continue their site visits on Wednesday, with planned tours of Matapira Health Centre for integrated services and CLM, as well as Nanthenje Health Centre, including its CSCP program and mobile van services.

Malawi, known as the “Warm Heart of Africa,” looks forward to showcasing its achievements and progress in healthcare at the upcoming Global Fund Board Meeting.