Malawi

The Malawi country profile provides an overview of the community health system in Malawi according to the most up-to-date policies available. It particularly focuses on the country’s community health providers, the structures that support them, and the services they deliver across many health areas – with a spotlight on family planning. The profile is targeted towards policymakers, program implementers, donors, researchers, and others interested in the country’s community health system.

The table below captures key information from the full, downloadable country profile. The complete CHS Catalog data set is also available for download, including information for Malawi.

Community Health Quick Stats

Main Community Health Policy / Strategy | Last Updated
  • Guidelines for the District Implementation Plans for 2012/13 | 2011
  • Handbook and Guide for Health Providers on the Essential Health Package in Malawi | 2004
  • Health Promotion Policy | 2013
  • Malawi Growth and Development Strategy 2011–2016 | 2011
  • Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan 2011–2016 | 2011
  • National Health Surveillance Assistant Programme of Malawi | 2013
Number of Community Health Provider Cadres

7 main cadres

  • Community-based distribution agents (CBDAs)
  • Community home-based care providers (CHBCVs)
  • Community leaders for action on nutrition (CLANs)
  • Health surveillance agents (HSAs)
  • Natural leaders (NLs)
  • Peer educators (PEs)
  • Village health committee (VHC) members
Recommended Number of Community Health Providers
  • 4,500 CBDAs1
  • 80,000 CLANs1
  • 13,500 HSAs1
Estimated Number of Community Health Providers

10,073 HSAs1
Recommended Ratio of Community Health Providers to Beneficiaries
  • 1 CLAN: 10–15 households1
  • 1 HSA: 1,000 people1
  • 1 VHC: 1 village development committee (VDC)2
Community-Level Data Collection Yes
Levels of Management of Community-Level Service Delivery

National, zonal, district, community
Key Community Health Program(s)

National Health Surveillance Agent (HSA) Program; various national health programs in multiple health areas (e.g., immunization, HIV and AIDS, TB)

1 Information is not available in policy for the other cadres.
2 VDCs typically cover a ‘grouping' of villages, but policy neither specifies the exact number of villages nor the total population a VDC covers.

Key Policies and Strategies

Government of the Republic of Malawi. 2011. Malawi Growth and Development Strategy II 2011–2016. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2015. Malawi Costed Implementation Plan for Family Planning, 2016–2020. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

Government of the Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. 2011. Open Defecation Free (ODF) Malawi Strategy 2011–2015. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Water Development (accessed July 2016).

———. n.d.a. Community Based Maternal and Neonatal Care: Manual for HSAs. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. n.d.b. Comprehensive EPI Multi-Year Plan 2012–2016. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. n.d.c. Interim Guidelines for the Management of Acute Malnutrition through Community-Based Therapeutic Care. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. 2004. Handbook and Guide for Health Providers on the Essential Health Package (EHP) in Malawi. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2005. National Community Home Based Care Policy and Guidelines. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed 2016).

———. 2006a. IMCI Approach Policy for Accelerated Child Survival and Development in Malawi. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2006b. National Reproductive Health Strategy 2006-2010. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health.

———. 2007a. Guidelines for Community Health Initiatives for Reproductive Health. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2007b. Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan 2007–2011. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed 2016).

———. 2007c. National Standards Youth Friendly Health Services. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2008. Community Based Injectable Contraceptive Services Guidelines. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2009a. Health Surveillance Assistant: Course Curriculum. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2009b. Health Surveillance Assistant Training Manual Facilitator's Guide. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2009c. Youth Friendly Health Services Training Manual. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2011a. Guidelines for the District Implementation Plans for 2012/13. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2011b. Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan 2011–2016. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2011c. Guidelines for Family Planning Communication. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2012a. Kutengera Kulera Khomo Ndi Khomo M'Malawi (CBDA Participant Manual). Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. 2012b. Malawi National Plan for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2012c. National Tuberculosis Control Programme: Five-Year Strategic Plan: 2012–2016. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2012d. National Tuberculosis Control Programme: Manual. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2013a. Health Promotion Policy. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. 2013b. National Health Surveillance Assistant Programme. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2013c. Malawi Child Health Strategy. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.

———. 2014a. Clinical Management of HIV in Children and Adults. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. 2014b. National Guidelines on Nutrition Care, Support, and Treatment (NCST) for Adolescents and Adults. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

———. 2015. Malawi Standard Treatment (MSTG) 5th Edition 2015: Incorporating Malawi Essential Medicines List (MEML) 2015. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Health (accessed July 2016).

Government of the Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Health, National Malaria Control Programme. n.d. Malaria Strategic Plan, 2011–2015: Towards Universal Access. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

Government of the Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development. 2006. National Sanitation Policy. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development (accessed July 2016).

———. 2010. Water Supply and Sanitation District Operational Manual. Lilongwe, Malawi: Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development.

Government of the Republic of Malawi, Office of the President and Cabinet, Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS. n.d. SUN: 1000 Special Days: 2011–2016 National Nutrition Education and Communication Strategy for Preventing Child Stunting in Malawi. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of the Republic of Malawi (accessed July 2016).

———. 2012. Scaling Up Nutrition in Malawi Training Manual. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of the Republic of Malawi.

National AIDS Commission. 2014. National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2015-2020. Lilongwe, Malawi: National AIDS Commission.

World Health Organization, UNICEF, and Government of the Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Health. 2008. Integrated Management of Childhood Illness, Caring for Newborns and Children in the Community: Manual for Health Surveillance Assistants. Lilongwe, Malawi: Government of Malawi.