Reflections on the MDHS Impact Health Catalyst Program 2024: Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Malawi
Reflection written by Carol S Wynne, Translation Research Scholar, Minum Barreng: Indigenous Eye Health Unit, The University of Melbourne.
Working for over two decades in health promotion with First Nations communities and in low-resource settings internationally has shown me that even small changes, like introducing culturally appropriate education or simple tools, can make a significant difference. Through the MDHS Impact Health Catalyst Program 2024, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an incredible team to co-design solutions for improving maternal and neonatal health in Malawi.
The inaugural MDHS Impact Health Catalyst Program brought together participants from the University of Melbourne and Malawi’s Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) to tackle the challenge of reducing mortality within the first 28 days of life. The program featured workshops, mentoring sessions, and a pitch event, with the winning team receiving $50,000 to pilot their solution on the ground in Malawi.
Our team, comprising Alex Campbell, Dr Sacha Petersen and Micah Chagunda, brought together expertise in midwifery, paediatric nursing, research, and health promotion. Inspired by Micah, a midwifery student from KUHeS, we developed a simple yet impactful solution - integrating visual health education into Malawi’s health passports, which are carried by every Malawian as a personal medical record.
In Malawi, many women face literacy challenges and limited access to technology, making it difficult to learn about pregnancy complications. Nearly half of all women cannot recall a single pregnancy danger sign. Our proposal, Picture of Health, addresses this by adding culturally relevant illustrations into the health passports. These visuals act as constant, accessible reminders of pregnancy danger signs, empowering women to recognise complications early and seek timely care.
As Micah explained, ‘A focused health message, one that is clear, simple, and visual, can break through barriers and help those with poor literacy understand what action to take.’
Support from partners like the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust, who are leading efforts on health passports with the Malawi Ministry of Health, has been invaluable. As they noted, ‘We are lacking visuals to reflect these danger signs. This could be a great area for us to work together.’
The MDHS Impact Health Catalyst Program also introduced us to other inspiring proposals showcased at the pitch event at Melbourne Connect on 14 October 2024. These included the winning team’s portable DNA diagnostics for syphilis and other innovative solutions, such as technologically enhanced Kangaroo Mother Care, a neonatal patient retrieval service, and Fever Weave, a temperature responsive baby beanie.
Participating in the program highlighted the power of cross-cultural collaboration within our School, Faculty and internationally. It demonstrated how shared knowledge, resources, and creativity can drive innovative, practical interventions to achieve better health outcomes for Malawi and elsewhere.
Although Picture of Health was not selected as the winning proposal in the MDHS Impact Health Catalyst Program, we are excited about its potential impact and remain committed to supporting Micah and prospective partners in Malawi to implement the pilot and secure additional funding.
If you’d like to learn more about our proposal or explore opportunities to support the pilot stage, please contact:
Micah Chagunda 202320260038@kuhes.ac.mw (Kamuzu University of Health Sciences)
Carol Wynne carol.wynne@unimelb.edu.au (University of Melbourne)
Picture of Health team members: Carol Wynne, Dr Sacha Petersen, Micah Chagunda and Alex Campbell