Research Article: Service readiness for the management of non-communicable diseases in publicly financed facilities in Malawi: findings from the 2019 Harmonised Health Facility Assessment census survey
Abstract:
Introduction Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are rising in low-income and middle-income countries, including Malawi. To inform policy-makers and planners on the preparedness of the Malawian healthcare system to respond to NCDs, we estimated NCD service readiness in publicly financed healthcare facilities in Malawi. Methods We analysed data from 564 facilities surveyed in the 2019 Harmonised Health Facility Assessment, including 512 primary healthcare (PHC) and 52 secondary and tertiary care (STC) facilities. To characterise service readiness, applying the law of minimum, we estimated the percentage of facilities with functional equipment and unexpired medicines required to provide NCD services. Further, we estimated permanently unavailable items to identify service readiness bottlenecks. Results Fewer than 40% of PHC facilities were ready to deliver services for each of the 14 NCDs analysed. Insulin and beclomethasone inhalers had the lowest stock levels at PHC facilities (6% and 8%, respectively). Only 17% of rural and community hospitals (RCHs) have liver and kidney diagnostics. STC facilities had varying service readiness, ranging from 27% for managing acute diabetes complications to 94% for chronic type 2 diabetes management. Only 38% of STC facilities were ready to manage chronic heart failure. Oral pain medicines were widely available at all levels of health facilities; however, only 22% of RCHs and 29% of STCs had injectable morphine or pethidine. Beclomethasone was never available at 74% of PHC and 29% of STC facilities. Conclusion Publicly financed facilities in Malawi are generally unprepared to provide NCD services, especially at the PHC level. Targeted investments in PHC can substantially improve service readiness for chronic NCD conditions in local communities and enable STC to respond to acute NCD complications and more complex NCD cases.
Introduction:
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 60% of early death and disability globally, and their growing burden in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) is particularly concerning. According to the WHO, 77% of the annual global NCD deaths occur in LMICs. 1 In 2021, NCDs caused 41?million deaths worldwide, among which 29?million died of the four major conditions, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. Several studies have reported low levels of…
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