Malawi health managers describe service disruption during Cyclone Freddy

A descriptive qualitative study published in BMC Public Health explored how Cyclone Freddy in 2023 affected health systems in Blantyre and Phalombe, Malawi. Researchers conducted 15 in-depth interviews with district health management team members, purposively selected for their roles and experience. Thematic analysis examined health-system effects, coping strategies and response challenges across the urban and rural districts.

Participants described destruction of health infrastructure, increased demand for services and supplies, disrupted health information networks, overstretched staff, and psychological and mental health challenges. Reported responses included recruiting temporary and surge health workers, establishing temporary shelters, providing mobile and outreach clinics, and collaborating with partners. Limited access to facilities, inadequate staffing and insufficient service-delivery space constrained the response. Rural Phalombe experienced more extensive infrastructure damage than urban Blantyre.

The findings highlight vulnerabilities in maintaining essential healthcare during extreme weather events. The authors recommend investment in climate-resilient health infrastructure. However, these findings reflect the experiences of 15 purposively selected managers in two districts; they do not quantify patient outcomes or establish the effectiveness of the reported coping strategies.