Anticipation and response: pandemic influenza in Malawi, 2009

Sambala, Evanson Z.; Manderson, Lenore

Although Malawi's capacity to respond was limited, there was strong commitment from government departments, international agencies and local NGOs to achieve optimal outcomes. For example, early in the pandemic, authorities decided to raise awareness among the travelling public, and instituted contact tracing activities and field investigations. However, these activities continued only for a short period and were then suspended due to lack of funding. Such decisions highlight the need for consistent public health actions to aid early detection and control. Difficulties in governance reflect inadequate preparedness for a number of planning activities, including vaccination and behaviour communication. In Malawi much needs to be done for future planning and responses to pandemics, with the need for substantial improvements in preparedness in key areas such as surveillance, robust science-based decisionmaking and a flexible public health response system to respond to crises.