On 19th March 2025, Lilongwe, Malawi will host a groundbreaking and monumental event dubbed Evidence Day 2025. This landmark event will convene key policymakers, researchers, health professionals, and development partners to discuss the latest TB research, explore strategies to enhance domestic TB financing, and advance gender-responsive TB programming and policy interventions.
Jointly organized by the Parliamentary Health Committee and TB Caucus and Malawi partners of the UK Aid-funded LIGHT Consortium – Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) and African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), TB Evidence Day will serve as a crucial platform for engagement and action. The event aims to foster meaningful discussions that will strengthen Malawi’s TB response and ensure more effective prevention and treatment strategies.
Event Highlights
The event will be officially opened by Hon. Catherine Gotani Hara, Speaker of Parliament, and will include the following:
- Remarks by key stakeholders on TB: Dr Eliya Zulu, Executive Director of AFIDEP; Dr Samson Ndolo, Secretary for Health; Hon. Dr Matthews Ngwale, Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee; and Mr Maziko Matemba of the Global TB Caucus will convey the importance and urgency of ending TB in Malawi
- Keynote Address on TB Research: Dr Augustine Choko, a Public Health Epidemiologist at MLW, will deliver a keynote speech highlighting recent advances in TB research and their implications for Malawi’s health policies.
- Panel Discussion on TB Financing: Experts from the Ministry of Health, Parliamentary Committees, Global Fund, World Health Organization (WHO), and development partners will explore strategies to increase domestic financing for TB interventions.
- Panel Discussion on TB and Gender: A critical conversation on the readiness of Malawi’s health system to integrate gender-sensitive TB programming. Panelists will include representatives from the National TB and Leprosy Elimination Programme (NTLEP), Stop TB Partnership, and the Parliamentary Social and Community Welfare Committee.
- Presentation of TB Research Findings: Prominent researchers, including Professor Henry Mwandumba, Director of MLW, will present groundbreaking studies on TB infection, offering new insights into disease prevention and treatment.
The discussions and findings from the TB Evidence Day are expected to inform policy decisions, encourage cross-sectoral collaboration, and mobilize resources to strengthen TB interventions in Malawi. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with decision-makers, explore innovative solutions, and contribute to shaping the future of TB response efforts in the country. All this to reflect the government’s commitment to tackling TB as a national public health priority.
