By Joseph Ganthu
In an ambitious effort to contribute towards addressing the pressing health challenges in Malawi the Network of Journalists Living with HIV (JONEHA) with financial support from International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), Community Monitoring and Engagement for Transformation (COMET) project has officially launched targeting the districts of Zomba, Mulanje, and Phalombe.
This initiative, slated to run from July 2025 to July 2027, aims to mitigate the existing impacts of the 2025 US funding freeze on vital HIV and tuberculosis (TB) services.
As the project’s name suggests, COMET is focused on community engagement and monitoring, designed to document and analyze real-time impacts on access, quality, and continuity of healthcare services for key and priority populations. The stakes are high, particularly with the looming funding cuts, which threaten to disrupt essential health services across.
One of the project’s key objectives is to convert community-generated data into actionable insights. To this end, COMET will develop a dynamic, public-facing data visualization dashboard—powered by Shiny Application —to track health trends and inform decision-makers. This dashboard will serve as a vital tool for advocates seeking to communicate the realities on the ground, translating raw data into compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders.
Empowering local communities is at the centre of the COMET initiative. By strengthening the capacity of Community Advocates and local health structures, the project seeks to ensure that community voices are amplified in health discussions. COMET will focus on utilizing Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) data for targeted advocacy, enabling direct engagement with national and district-level health authorities. This approach not only fosters inclusivity but also enhances the sustainability of health initiatives.
Additionally, the COMET project aims to craft a robust investment case for the formal integration of CLM into Malawi’s national health system. By demonstrating the inherent value of health system accountability and resilience, the initiative aspires to attract domestic financing and bolster the continuity of essential health services in the midst of the challenging global funding landscape.
The project was officially introduced in Zomba, generating significant interest among local health officials. Similarly, engagements with the Phalombe and Mulanje District Health Management Teams (DHMT) underscored the importance of continuous CLM efforts. Preliminary discussions at facilities like Namulenga, Muloza, Kambenje, and Mpala have laid the groundwork for skills transfer and sustainability planning, with the Health Centre Management Committee (HCMC) in each facility being engaged. At the district level, a focal person has been designated to maximize ground stakeholder collaboration for the project.
In an encouraging sign of progress, COMET received ethical approval from the relevant district Research Committees within just seven days of its introduction. This swift approval highlights the urgency and importance of the project in addressing the looming healthcare funding crisis. Additionally, COMET has generated significant interest from national stakeholders due to its integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This has sparked an important discussion on how AI can be harnessed for the advancement of public health systems in the country.
With continuous dissemination of findings to stakeholders including the Ministry of Health and civil society COMET is poised to catalyze immediate, evidence-based policy and programmatic actions, ensuring that the needs of the most vulnerable populations in Malawi are met.
