The Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) Director, Chris Head, recently paid a 5-day visit to Malawi to meet with project partners, MLW, to receive updates on project progress and discuss future directions.

The visit came as the first phase of the MRF- funded Action Meningitis project which is providing Early Triage Assessment and Treatment project at primary health centres in urban and rural districts is coming to its final stages.

The work is led by Principal Investigator, Dr Nicola Desmond and was developed from initial research to understand the reasons for late presentation at tertiary care for meningitis and other severe illness.  This identified issues around recognition and ability to take action in response to severe illness in children and comprises both community and primary care intervention packages, monitored through parallel operational research.