Blog Article In November 2023, the Centre for International Health Partnerships was invited to be part of the launch of the Critical Care Nurses Association of Malawi. The launch was part of the First Scientific Conference organised by the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM). The Minister of Health officiated at the launch of this new nursing association. CHRIS CARTER AND JOY NOTTERProfessors in Health, Education and Life Sciences As part of the critical care conference Professor Joy Notter and Associate Professor Chris Carter delivered a keynote speech on the hidden complexity of critical care nursing. As part of an ongoing project with the Critical Care Nurses Association of Zambia (CCNAZ) we were pleased to be able to contribute to the Executive Team to be in attendance which allowed for networking. Dr Rodell Gundo is the interim President, and we were fortunate to have a guest editorial from him the Centre’s International Perspectives in Emergency, Trauma and Critical Care Nurses journal. A New Dawn: Malawi's Critical Care Nurses Unite for Professional Growth On May 30th, 2023, during the 76th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization adopted a resolution titled "Integrated Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care for Universal Health Coverage and Protection from Health Emergencies" (Tadesse, et al. 2023). This resolution was a response to the significant gaps identified in global health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this resolution, the World Health Organization urges countries and professional organizations to invest in and implement strategies that improve emergency, critical, and operative care in their respective health systems. In low- and middle-income countries, including Malawi, the importance of emergency and critical care services has become increasingly evident. These services are now recognized as essential, rather than a luxury (Chang, et al., 2016). It is within this context that critical care nurses in Malawi decided to establish an Association to complement the government's efforts to improve critical care services in the country. Malawi, a landlocked country with a population of 20 million, faces a double burden of non-communicable and communicable diseases that often lead to critical illness (Gundo et al., 2019; Olds et al., 2023; Valera et al., 2020). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, heart failure, cancer, and stroke are prevalent among people aged 40 years and above. Among individuals younger than 40, common conditions include mental health disorders, burns, epilepsy, asthma, and trauma. In the pediatric population, sickle cell disease, rheumatic heart disease, and type 1 diabetes are the prevalent NCDs. Trauma accounts for 40% of all NCD-related visits, with road traffic injuries and assaults being the most common causes (Olds et al., 2023; Chokhotho et al., 2022; Mulima et al., 2021). In addition, infectious diseases, especially those that are associated with HIV are the leading cause of hospital admission (Allain, et al., 2017). Despite this high disease burden, Malawi faces significant challenges in critical care, including inadequate resources, a shortage of well-trained professionals, and limited pre-hospital care, among other issues (Sonenthal et al., 2022; Gundo et al., 2023). However, the country is implementing several strategic initiatives that have led to improvements, such as increased life expectancy and reduced maternal, under-five, infant, and neonatal mortality rates. Key initiatives include the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP III) 2023-2030, Community-Based Health Services (CBHS), Primary Health Care (PHC), and the Emergency and Critical Care Strategy (ECCS), a framework that is designed to strengthen emergency and critical care services. The country also adopted Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (ETAT) and is developing ETAT Plus to enhance the care of critically ill children in hospitals (Johansson et al., 2020). These gains can be further enhanced through the formation of professional organizations that support the implementation of emergency and critical care services. Given Malawi’s growing population and disease burden, the critical role of nurses in delivering quality critical care services cannot be overstated. Despite their pivotal role in caring for critically ill patients, there has been no professional Association specifically tailored to meet the needs of critical care nurses in the country. Inspired by international trends and learning from neighbouring countries like Tanzania and Zambia, Malawian critical care nurses decided to form the Association of Critical Care Nurses in Malawi (ACCNM). On April 7th, 2021, the nurses created a WhatsApp group to facilitate communication and discussions on the Association’s structure and activities. Through this platform, they agreed that the primary aim of the Association would be “to provide a platform for professional development, collaboration, and advocacy within the critical care nursing community.” A draft constitution was then developed, and input was solicited from both local and international experts. The Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services in the Ministry of Health was also informed about the proposed formation of the Association. Until recently, Malawi’s critical care nurses received their training outside the country. However, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences has introduced both undergraduate and postgraduate programs in critical care nursing, which is expected to increase membership of the ACCNM as the number of locally trained nurses grows. The Association is set to be launched during this year’s National Organization of Nurses and Midwives in Malawi (NONM) Research and Biennial Conference, scheduled for November 29th-30th in the capital city, Lilongwe. The establishment of ACCNM is a critical step in advancing the professional development of nurses and improving patient care outcomes. By providing a unified platform for collaboration, education, advocacy, and support, the Association will play a pivotal role in enhancing the care of critically ill patients and their families across the country.