Clinical researcher Dr. Thomas Nyirenda has called on Malawi to move beyond research publication and focus on translating scientific findings into actionable health policies and programmes.
Speaking at Malawi’s first National Public Health Research Dissemination Conference, held from 29 to 31 October at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, Dr. Nyirenda said the country’s growing body of public health research must directly inform policy if it is to make a real difference in people’s lives.
“Research alone is not enough. For research to have impact, it must be translated into actionable policies and programmes,” he said.
The three-day conference attracted over 400 delegates from across Malawi and beyond, including researchers, policymakers, civil society leaders, academics, and private sector representatives.
More than 240 oral and poster presentations were made on infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, mental health, digital health technologies, and climate-related health issues.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Dan Namarika, echoed the call for stronger integration between research and policy, suggesting that the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) should be transformed into an independent parastatal to enhance its responsiveness to national health priorities.
“Human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected and must be addressed together,” Dr. Namarika said.
World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Keema Kimambo, stressed that research should inform sustainable health programmes and policies, while Prof. Address Malata, Vice-Chancellor of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), urged deeper collaboration between academia and government to ensure that research findings are applied where they are needed most.
Organisers said the conference, aligned with Malawi’s National Health Research Agenda (2023–2030), marked a major milestone in efforts to ensure that evidence drives public health decisions and strengthens the country’s health system.
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