With emerging and re-emerging infections increasing globally, strong diagnostic capacity is a cornerstone of pandemic preparedness. Through rapid response funding from The Pandemic Institute, a new partnership between the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Trust (MLW) and the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) is empowering rapid detection and response to emerging infections across Malawi.

Malawi faces frequent public health challenges, from cholera and polio to Mpox. While PHIM coordinates the national response, its work has historically been constrained by limited diagnostic resources and specialist training. The project, co-led by University of Liverpool researcher Dr Jen Cornick and PHIM Deputy Director Mr Joseph Bitilinyu Bango, bridges the gap through a tailored internship programme. Through this collaboration, PHIM laboratory scientists gain hands-on experience in advanced molecular diagnostics at MLW, equipping them to lead local outbreak investigations while strengthening institutional ties between the two organisations.

Arthur Baluwa was the first PHIM technician to join the internship, began training in April 2025 under the mentorship of co-lead Dr Kayla Barnes (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine) and PHIM senior staff. He has since trained two additional technicians, creating a ripple effect of expertise within PHIM’s laboratory team. In June 2025, this growing PHIM team, in collaboration with MLW colleagues, co-designed and delivered a national Mpox diagnostics workshop in Lilongwe, bringing together 20 representatives from satellite diagnostic labs across the country. This collaborative approach ensures knowledge transfer is embedded within Malawian institutions.

Creating sustainable infrastructure for rapid response

Alongside workforce development, the MLW-PHIM partnership is laying the foundations for sustainable, rapid-response infrastructure. A new “primer bank” containing reagents to detect more than 40 key bacterial and viral pathogens has been established at both MLW and PHIM laboratories, ensuring redundancy and accessibility. This shared resource allows fast, reliable testing during outbreaks, overcoming supply chain delays that have historically hampered response times.

Comprehensive standard operating procedures have been collaboratively developed to accompany the primer bank. Delegates trained through the project return to their home laboratories equipped with these nationally standardised resources, ensuring new skills translate into practical impact at the national level while strengthening connections across Malawi’s diagnostic lab network.

Collaborative action for global health security

This initiative exemplifies South-South and North-South collaboration, bringing together expertise from MLW, PHIM, University of Liverpool and LSTM. The project fosters genuine partnership where PHIM leads national coordination while MLW provides technical infrastructure support to strengthen Malawi’s diagnostic ecosystem – a model that promotes local ownership and sustainability.  The initiative aligns with World Health Organization recommendations to strengthen diagnostic capacity as a key component of preparedness, prevention, and early containment of emerging infections.

Read more about available funding opportunities from The Pandemic Institute: Funding