LifeNet International is a nonprofit that improves healthcare quality across Africa. Rather than building new facilities, they partner with existing, mostly faith-based health centers to strengthen both clinical practices and management systems.

Establishment in Malawi

LifeNet expanded into Malawi as part of its long-term vision to strengthen healthcare in multiple African countries by 2030. Its Malawi office is based in Lilongwe, and the organization works closely with local faith-based providers such as members of the Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM).

Leadership

The Malawi program is led by Country Director Axel Managure, who has been with LifeNet for many years in different capacities before taking on this role.

How They Work

LifeNet’s model combines several components:

Partnerships with Health Facilities

They collaborate with faith-based and community health facilities, offering ongoing mentoring, supervision, and quality evaluations.

Training and Capacity Building

Clinical training includes maternal and neonatal care, infection prevention, and emergency procedures like infant resuscitation.

Management training covers areas like financial record-keeping, pharmacy management, and supply chain operations.

Quality Assurance

Partner facilities are regularly assessed using scorecards that measure standards in hygiene, safety, management, and pharmacy practices.

LifeNet pairs training with follow-up mentorship to ensure improvements last.

Equipment and Supplies

They provide facilities with needed medical supplies and support in logistics to reduce stockouts and improve efficiency.

Cost Efficiency

The approach is designed to maximize impact at a low cost per patient visit, focusing on sustainable improvements rather than expensive infrastructure.

Impact

LifeNet’s work across Africa has improved care for millions of patient visits annually.

Thousands of mothers and newborns have benefited from training interventions such as neonatal resuscitation and prevention of postpartum hemorrhage.

In Malawi, the program is still relatively new but is already supporting local facilities to strengthen maternal, neonatal, and general healthcare services.

Challenges

Maintaining long-term sustainability, especially with staff turnover.

Adapting training to fit Malawi’s specific context.

Ensuring consistent supply chains for equipment and medicines.

Measuring long-term outcomes beyond immediate improvements in skills and facility management.

Relevance for Malawi

Faith-based facilities play a major role in delivering healthcare in Malawi, especially in underserved areas. LifeNet’s approach strengthens these providers, making them more reliable and effective. The emphasis on maternal and newborn health is particularly important given Malawi’s ongoing challenges with maternal and infant mortality rates.