Health

Malawi's numerous health crises are closely linked to poverty and gender.  The average life expectancy is 44 years, one of the lowest in the world.  This is largely due to high child mortality and morbidity rate (of 1,000 children born, nearly 137 of them die before the age of one), and the high mortality rate due to HIV/AIDS, malaria and infectious diseases, especially among women and young girls. 

The vast majority of Malawians have limited, if any, access to effective health care. Most live long distances from medical services, and those within proximity often cannot afford them.  Massive shortages of trained personnel, essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment (not to mention inefficient and inequitable distribution) complicate these problems. 

Story Workshop Health Initiatives:

Learn how we are helping Malawians take control of their health through the following:

• Zinapangana Kusanapse, a prevention of mother to child transmission campaign
• Low-literacy print on nutrition and diversification of food groups
• Adolescent Girls Literacy Project bednet campaign to help prevent malaria and scabies
• Padiwa Sasewera, a family planning and maternal health campaign
• In 2009 we developed a model for local/community radio stations to address health issues (mainly mother and child health) in a holistic and participatory way in communities. We trained radio stations in Tanzania and Malawi in this model
• During the national testing week, we carried out a media campaign (including taxi tunes, a radio production that was distributed among minibus drivers to play to their clients)
• In 2010 we hope to develop a media campaign on new malaria treatment
• In the coming year we are going to produce two feature movies focusing on Home Based Care, to be shown at district conferences on Home Based Care (and care for orphans) in 2011