| Overview : Malawi registered its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in April 2020. The country has so far had more than 32,000 cases as of 10 March 2021 with 1074 deaths and a calculated case fatality rate of 3.3%. The challenges posed by COVID-19 to Malawi are fourfold: (i) direct morbidity and mortality, (ii) indirect morbidity and mortality due to disruption of health systems and influence of health seeking behaviors, (iii) micro- and macro-economic effects including damage to livelihoods from epidemic control restrictions and effects on commerce, (iv) disruption of education and effects on child safety. Studies show that there may be under reporting of the COVID cases in Africa, suggesting that the damaging effects of the virus on the economy, health system and people are also underestimated. The government through the Ministry of Health and support of various donors mounted a response to the pandemic that involved, but was not limited to, health promotion messages, social distancing, mandatory use of face masks, restrictions of movements of people including border closures and the administration of the COVID vaccine through the National vaccine Deployment Plan (NVDP). The Government of Malawi plans is implementing COVID-19 vaccination response to the COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March 2021 aiming to reach at least 20% and 80% of the target population by August 2021 and May 2022 respectively. This effort is supported by a UN joint project towards the acquisition, distribution and administration of the COVID vaccines to the people of Malawi. COVID-19 vaccination is being delivered to the public using existing immunization delivery platform that have been modified where necessary. This provides an added advantage of using existing tools and personnel to support the vaccine rollout also with modifications where necessary. UNDP Malawi has supported the Ministry of Health Malawi to implement Electronic Health Information Network(eHIN) in all public health facilities in Malawi for both vaccines and pharmaceuticals. This system operates in the downstream section of the supply chain and aims to be deployed in all service delivery points where patients, health workers and health products, including vaccines, interact. Currently, eHIN has been deployed to about 2,500 service delivery points situated at District Hospitals (29), Central hospitals (5), Community hospitals, Health centers, and Health posts |
