Scaling up integrated community case management of childhood illness: Update from Malawi

The Government of Malawi (GoM) initiated activities to deliver treatment of common childhood illnesses (suspected pneumonia, fever/suspected malaria, and diarrhea) in the community in 2008. The service providers are Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs), and they are posted nationwide to serve communities at a ratio of 1 to 1, 000 population. The GoM targeted the establishment of 3, 452 village health clinics (VHCs) in hard-to-reach areas by 2011. By September of 2011, 3, 296 HSAs had received training in integrated case management of childhood illness, and 2, 709 VHCs were functional. An assessment has shown that HSAs are able to treat sick children with quality similar to the quality provided in fixed facilities. Monitoring data also suggest that communities are using the sick child services. We summarize factors that have facilitated the scale up of integrated community case management of children in Malawi and address challenges, such as ensuring a steady supply of medicines and supportive supervision.