On June 16, the Ministry of Health of Malawi, the European Union (EU), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) launched the “Support to the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM)” project. This multi-donor initiative, part of the EU’s Global Gateway Health Package, aims to strengthen National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in Africa.
With a budget of €4.6 million, the project is co-financed by the EU and BMZ and will be carried out by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The initiative focuses on enhancing PHIM’s capacity to provide essential public health services and improve public health outcomes.
The launch event, held at the Ministry of Health in Lilongwe, emphasised the collective commitment to strengthening public health systems in Malawi. The project will foster regional and international collaboration, enhance core public health functions, and advance PHIM’s capabilities in digital health and data utilisation for informed decision-making.
“We believe that strengthening PHIM’s institutional and technical capacity, improving health data systems and aligning research with national priorities are crucial to deliver better health outcomes for all Malawians,” said the Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation of Malawi, George Dura.
This initiative aligns with Malawi’s Health Sector Strategic Plan III, the Africa CDC Strategic Plan (2023–2027), and Africa’s Agenda 2063 while supporting the EU Global Health Strategy and related gender empowerment goals. Together, Malawi, the EU, Germany, and other partners are committed to building a more resilient and evidence-based public health system for healthier communities and stronger institutions.
