Laura Morris travelled to Malawi as part of initial iDSI activities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of the trip was to learn about current priority-setting activities in Malawi and identify any gaps, through meetings with representatives from the Ministry of Health and their major technical partners. This follows earlier communication as part of a mapping exercise conducted by iDSI in 2014.

During the meetings, Laura identified the articulated needs of the Ministry of Health in relation to planning and costing policy, coordination of the health sector across numerous funding and delivery partners, and the government’s ability to commission and use local research. Discussions explored potential areas for involvement by NICE International and other iDSI partners over the next 12 months. Contacts in Malawi continue to be engaged in wider iDSI activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, including participation in a Rockefeller Foundation-funded meeting on pragmatic research.