Malawi

Malawi has one of the highest death rates for cervical cancer in the world. The disease accounts for almost 40 percent of all cancers among women in Malawi and kills over 2,000 each year.

MSF has worked closely with Malawian health authorities to develop a comprehensive cervical cancer program that comprises primary and secondary prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as palliative care, in Malawi’s second-largest city, Blantyre, and the surrounding district. The program includes patient-centered activities, such as mental health support, education sessions, physiotherapy, and social support. For the second consecutive year, we referred patients to a private radiotherapy center in Blantyre.

In 2025, MSF finalized the PAVE study, which aims to evaluate a screen-triage-treat strategy using self‑sampled human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and AI-assisted visual evaluation to better detect and manage precancerous cervical lesions in resource-limited settings. This study was developed in nine countries and implemented across 10 health centers and a mobile clinic where MSF supported cervical cancer screening and treatment.