The initiative was attended by the Mayor of Blantyre, representatives of the Ministry of Health’s national cervical cancer prevention program, traditional authorities from the Kapeni area, and numerous representatives from local health institutions and civil society. The event provided an important opportunity for dialogue and marked the official start of a three-year initiative dedicated to women’s health.

In Malawi, cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women. It is a disease that could largely be prevented or detected early, yet it continues to affect thousands of families every year. The factors involved go beyond structural limitations of the health system and also include social and economic barriers: distance from healthcare facilities, transportation costs, lack of accurate information, and the spread of misconceptions that discourage access to prevention services.

“The Net” was created precisely to address these challenges by strengthening the capacity of the local health system to plan and deliver more accessible and higher-quality prevention services. The project will operate mainly in the Blantyre district, with some pilot activities in the districts of Thyolo and Zomba, with the aim of developing an integrated and replicable territorial model.

Planned activities include community awareness campaigns, HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination programs for girls aged 9 to 14 in 220 schools across the district, and screening tests offered to thousands of women aged 25 to 49. Overall, the project is expected to reach more than 32,000 people.

A key component of the project will be the strengthening of diagnostic services at the district level. In particular, the project foresees the enhancement of cytology and telepathology services, which will be activated and consolidated in the Blantyre district. The introduction of a structured cytological analysis service, integrated with HPV DNA testing and connected to specialists through telemedicine tools, will enable more timely and accurate diagnosis of precancerous lesions. Strengthening the skills of laboratory personnel and adopting standardized protocols will help improve the quality of the diagnostic pathway, reduce waiting times, and make the clinical management of patients more effective. Activities will be carried out primarily at the Kapeni and Mandala health centers, managed by the DREAM Program, which represent an important reference point for prevention and care services in the Blantyre district. At the same time, the project will invest in training healthcare personnel and in developing shared planning tools to strengthen the capacities of the country’s health system.

“Women are the pillars of Malawian society, and their health must be a priority in health planning. Caring for a woman does not mean taking care of a single life but of entire families, thereby contributing to the country’s economic development and impacting the nation as a whole,” said Mathambo Lowole, Country Director of Peace and Development Trust.

With the launch of “The Net,” the Blantyre district begins a structured process aimed at making women’s cancer prevention services more accessible and better organized across the territory.