The World Health Organization, the Malawi government, and United Nations partners opened a five-day regional training in Lilongwe on October 12, according to the WHO Regional Office for Africa. The sessions focus on maintaining sexual and reproductive health services during emergencies. WHO representative Dr. Charles Kuria Njuguna stated the initiative aims to protect marginalized groups, particularly women and girls, from losing access to care during natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
First Vice-President Jane Ansah urged women to seek early medical attention for breast cancer during an awareness event in Lilongwe, Nyasa Times reports. Speaking at a brunch organized by the group Diaries of Young Ladies, Ansah challenged local misconceptions that label the disease as a spiritual curse. She encouraged citizens to rely on professional medical treatment rather than delaying care.
Update: In commemoration of World Mental Health Day, the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) partnered with the South West Police Division for a solidarity march in Blantyre, according to a university statement. Vice-Chancellor Nancy Chitera announced that the institution has increased access to external psychologists to help prevent student suicides and support staff facing mental health challenges.