Non-communicable diseases now killing 4 in 10 Malawians, shocking WHO report reveals

A shocking new report has revealed that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) now account for approximately 40 percent of all deaths in Malawi, prompting urgent calls for stronger political leadership, funding and community action.

The 2025 World Health Organization (WHO) Malawi Report has laid bare the devastating scale of the crisis, with NCD Alliance Malawi (NCDAMW) demanding immediate action ahead of the Global Week for Action on NCDs 2026.

On Monday, NCDAMW announced it had joined this year’s Global Week for Action, running from 31 August to 4 September 2026 under the theme “Leadership in Focus: From Commitments to Delivery.”

Alliance National Chairperson Maud Mwakasungula issued a blunt warning that government, development partners and civil society organisations must move beyond mere speeches and deliver real results for patients.

According to Mwakasungula, NCDs — including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases — are placing a devastating burden on individuals, families, the health system and the wider national economy.

She explained the alarming rise is being driven by key risk factors including tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and other social and environmental determinants of health.

“While we commend progress, the reality is that too many Malawians are still dying early from conditions that are largely preventable and treatable,” Mwakasungula said in a statement released Monday.

Despite the grim statistics, NCD Alliance Malawi praised the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and partners, including Partners In Health (PIH Malawi), for expanding vital services in recent years.

The alliance highlighted PEN services, now integrated into 300 primary healthcare centres nationwide, providing screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for common NCDs, describing the rollout as a genuine milestone in the fight against the diseases.

PEN stands for Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease Interventions, with PEN-Plus targeting more complex cases. The approach has helped decentralise care, bringing vital services closer to communities across the country.

“15 PEN-Plus clinics now provide care for people living with severe and complex NCDs at district and first-level referral hospitals. Malawi is now among the leading performers in PEN-Plus implementation in the WHO African Region,” Mwakasungula revealed.

However, she issued a stark warning that these hard-won gains could easily be eroded if services aren’t properly resourced and made accessible, particularly in rural and underserved communities across the country.

“People living with NCDs must also be meaningfully involved in shaping, implementing and monitoring policies and programmes that affect their lives,” she added.

As part of the Global Week for Action, the alliance will host an Open-Ground Event at Kabudula Primary School in Lilongwe on 2 September 2026, offering free NCD screening and referrals, community health education, football activities incorporating NCD awareness messages, and the signing of the Malawi GW4A NCD Charter 2026.

The Charter will capture priority actions and commitments from stakeholders, and will later be presented to the Parliamentary Committee on Health in a bid to push for stronger political leadership and accountability on the issue.

The event is being organised by NCD Alliance Malawi in partnership with PIH, with financial backing from the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

“Global Week for Action provides an important platform for governments, civil society, people living with NCDs, health professionals, communities and development partners to renew commitments and accelerate action,” the Alliance said.

NCD Alliance Malawi is a national civil society network working to reduce preventable morbidity, disability and avoidable deaths caused by NCDs and injuries across Malawi.