Severe Disease & Mortality Surveillance
Overview
Many deaths in Malawi, particularly among children, happen at home or without a confirmed cause. This project establishes population-based surveillance to better understand severe disease and the causes of death in Salima District, so that prevention efforts can be targeted where they matter most.
Objectives
- Measure the burden of severe disease and mortality in a defined population.
- Determine the leading causes of death, especially among children under five.
- Identify gaps in care-seeking and access to health services.
- Share timely evidence with the Ministry of Health and district health teams.
Research Approach
The project combines community-based surveillance with facility data to build a complete picture of illness and death in the catchment area.
1.Demographic Surveillance
Regular household visits to record births, deaths, pregnancies and migration in the surveillance population.
2.Verbal Autopsy
Structured interviews with families after a death to establish the most likely cause and the circumstances around it.
3.Facility Linkage
Linking community records with clinic and hospital data to understand the journey of severely ill patients.
4.Evidence to Action
Reviewing findings with district and national partners to guide prevention and service improvements.
Capacity Building
The project trains local data collectors, clinicians and students in surveillance methods.
Training covers:
- Household survey methods
- Verbal autopsy interviewing
- Data quality and management
- Mortality data analysis
This builds lasting local capacity to monitor population health and respond to emerging threats.
