There is no system in Malawi equivalent to the PIF TICK Certification at the level of MOH.
Health information to patients in Malawi is provided in the local language and in English, often for specific campaigns such as those related to HIV or COVID-19 - when quick translations to local languages are being made. The most common methods of sharing health information are oral communication during consultations or healthcare campaigns, and via the radio/TV. (English is the predominant language for health training, records and documentation but communication with patients almost always requires the use of local languages.) Most information communicated to patients (in the context of Malawi) is simplified and usually insufficient.
Malawi utilises paper-based patient-held records, which could be a valuable tool for sharing health information and education; however, this potential is not fully realised, partly due to low literacy levels. Even among students who are literate, there is generally a lack of health knowledge and information. I have recently looked at the quality of information provided to patients in their health books (these are patient-held paper based booklets). The pre-print about this topic which is being reworked is here: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.01.25322650 and a study on language use during consultations in Malawi is here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11901-4
Kind regards
Amelia
HIFA profile: Amelia Taylor is a Lecturer in AI at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. Interests: AI, NLP, Health Informatics, Data Visualisation. ataylor AT mubas.ac.mw