Creating a digital health architecture for Malawi

Commissioned by the Malawi German Health Programme (MGHP) of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, m4h supported the Digital Health Division of Malawi’s Ministry of Health to lay the foundations for a country-wide digital health ecosystem.

The challenge

Malawi’s health system operates in a context of severe economic scarcity. Decision-makers and health workers need continuous access to epidemiological, patient and other health system data to use the limited resources as efficiently as possible.

The assignment

This is why GIZ commissioned m4h to support the Digital Health Division of Malawi’s Ministry of Health in the further development of its digital health management and information systems. The assignment encompassed the following work packages:

• Building the capacities of the Digital Health Division of the Ministry of Health
• Supporting the development of an Integrated Healthcare Information System
• Consolidating and expanding the e-Register platform in Ntcheu District

The results

With m4h support, the following results were achieved:

1. A Digital Health Policy and national Standard Operating Procedures for digital health applications were developed and adopted.
2. An inventory (‘blueprint’) of all health system processes that can be or have been digitalised was completed and serves as binding foundation for a national Healthcare Information System, as well as for all current and future digital health applications in Malawi.
3. An integrated and comprehensive Malawi Healthcare information system (MaHIS) was conceptualised and kickstarted in the eRegister project facilities (see next points).
4. The e-register in Ntcheu District was extended from one to three health centres, including the required solar power system and internet coverage.
5. The e-register was officially launched in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Health.

Tour through Bilira Health Centre during project closure meeting