Malawi leads regional training to protect reproductive health during disasters

The Government of Malawi, in collaboration with development partners, has launched a five-day regional training programme in Lilongwe to strengthen sexual and reproductive healthcare during humanitarian emergencies. The initiative focuses on the Minimum Initial Service Package (MISP) for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Emergencies.

Participants from Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, Eritrea, and Eswatini are attending the training to build capacity for maintaining essential services during disasters such as floods, cyclones, and droughts. These crises often damage health facilities and displace communities, increasing the risks of maternal and neonatal deaths, unintended pregnancies, and sexual violence.

Bestone Chisamile, Principal Secretary for Administration in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, emphasized the need to integrate reproductive healthcare into national disaster preparedness plans. World Health Organization representative Charles Kuria Njuguna noted that resilient health systems must maintain services, including HIV care and support for survivors of rape, to reduce preventable deaths and socioeconomic disruption.