Journalists urged to partner with stakeholders in fighting NCDs

Lilongwe, June 25, Mana: Journalists in the country have been called upon to partner with stakeholders in the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in order to win the fight against its fight.

This was said in Lilongwe on Wednesday when NCD Alliance engaged journalists on the Accelerator Project.

The project targets national deaths linked to chronic illnesses, including hypertension, diabetes, cancer, asthma, and other long-term, non-transmissible diseases affecting many Malawians.

Ministry of Health Deputy Director for NCDs and Mental Health, Hastings Chiumia, said the initiative focuses on strengthening national policies, healthcare access, and information tools for better NCD awareness and management.

“NCDs account for about 32 percent of all deaths in Malawi. Hypertension alone affects between 16.1 and 32.9 percent of the population nationwide,” Chiumia said.

He explained that asthma prevalence in Malawi stands at 5.1 percent, while approximately 65.5 percent of all reported NCD cases are among people aged below 40 years.

“This is significantly higher than the 18.5 percent observed in high-income countries. We must act quickly to protect Malawi’s youth from chronic illness and its lifelong social and economic impacts,” he said.

He said, as part of efforts to fight the diseases, over 200 NCD clinics have been launched, working with 11 district councils across the country.

He emphasized the importance of decentralizing screening services and ensure constant access to essential medicines.

Chiumia, therefore, called for media support in raising awareness, fostering behavior change, and addressing myths and misconceptions related to the prevention and management of chronic diseases nationwide.

The Acceleration Project, funded by international NCD partner, comprises seven founding organizations including the Stroke Association of Malawi and the Women Coalition Against Cancer in Malawi, among others.

It (the project) is anchored in rights-based approaches to care, promoting early detection, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term strategies for comprehensive NCD control and improved health service delivery.

NCD Alliance Vice Chairperson, Samuel Kumwanje, said the initiative focuses on amplifying the voices of people living with NCDs, reducing stigma, and closing service delivery gaps within the health sector.

“This project is about amplifying voices of people living with NCDs. We’ve created a media toolkit to strengthen collaboration with journalists in spreading accurate messages,” Kumwanje said.

He urged inclusive outreach, increased investment in community health literacy, and improved grassroots service delivery to ensure under served rural populations are not left behind in the national response.

“Our mission is to ensure that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic background or location, can access accurate NCD information and support through improved, community-based health systems,” Kumwanje emphasized.

Nation Publications Limited journalist, Wantwa Mwamlima, welcomed the campaign and reaffirmed the media’s role in public education, agenda setting, and supporting national strategies to address health-related challenges in Malawi.

“As media practitioners, it is our responsibility to participate in awareness efforts. We are ready to partner with Ministry of Health and NCD Alliance to achieve this national objective,” she said.