The Borrow Foundation has been pleased to provide support for a collaborative project, involving Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHes), the University of Glasgow, and the Malawian Ministry of Health. The work was undertaken to address the growing burden of oral diseases among Malawian children and will contribute to the development of a Child Oral Health Improvement Plan in Malawi.
Malawi, classified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as one of the Least Developed Countries, faces significant healthcare challenges, with many living below the international poverty line and limited access to dental care. The 2016 National Oral Health Survey highlighted a severe shortage of trained dental professionals and a high prevalence of untreated dental caries. Recognising this, the government introduced a National Oral Health Policy in 2022, with a key focus on improving child oral health.
With funding from The Borrow Foundation, this project contributed to the policy’s development through key workstreams: a national oral health survey of 6- and 12-year-old school children, a systematic overview of child oral health improvement interventions, a situation analysis conducted by MPH students at KUHes, and a multi-sectoral Child Oral Health Improvement Workshop held in Mponela in May 2024.
The situation analysis explored key areas, including integrating oral health into Malawi’s healthcare system, hearing the views of parents and care givers, improving data collection, and assessing infrastructure for school-based oral health programmes. Findings from the workstreams were presented at the Child Oral Health Improvement Workshop, which convened stakeholders from Malawi and the UK, including representatives from the Ministries of Health and Education, Smileawi, WaterAid Malawi, schools, oral health personnel, and universities.
The workshop led to a series of actionable recommendations:
- School-based initiatives, such as oral health promotion clubs, teacher training, toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste feasibility studies, and the integration of oral health into school nutrition policies.
- Community-based actions, including expanding the role of oral health promoters and strengthening links with village health committees and linking oral health promotion with other community programmes like nutrition and WASH.
- Policy-level strategies, such as securing sustained funding and ensuring oral health is a national priority.
A key outcome has been the establishment of a Child Oral Health Task Force, which will drive implementation. The multisectoral Task Force, including representation from the relevant government ministries together with members from the academic, healthcare, nutrition, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sectors, began its work in early February 2025. It is anticipated that the Child Oral Health Improvement Plan will be completed within 12-18 months, followed by feasibility studies of a range of interventions. Meanwhile, collaboration continues between Scottish and Malawian universities on initiatives such as local production of affordable fluoride toothpaste. This project has provided a strong foundation for long-term improvements in child oral health.
