Assessing Malawi’s animal health surveillance system using the FAO surveillance evaluation tool: gaps, strengths, and opportunities for one health resilience

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: Animal health surveillance is essential for early disease detection, outbreak response, and the prevention of zoonoses. In June 2024, Malawi conducted its first national assessment of its animal health surveillance system using the FAO Surveillance Evaluation Tool (SET), specifically the 2024 SET Evaluation Guide, version 2 to evaluate institutional, operational, and technical capacities. A participatory assessment was undertaken by experts from the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD) and FAO, involving document reviews, stakeholder interviews, and site visits in seven districts. The SET was used to score 96 indicators across various domains on a scale of 1 (no capacity) to 4 (advanced). RESULTS: The results indicated low overall performance. The weakest domains were active surveillance (5%), internal communication (12.6%), and risk assessment (16.7%). Relative strengths were observed in external communication (50%) and information systems (44.3%), though these were still below optimal levels. The system suffers from significant workforce shortages, with approximately 33% of officer positions vacant, placing a heavy burden on inadequately resourced community-based assistants. Laboratory capacity was found to be centralized and limited, with regional laboratories offering only basic diagnostic services. Data management is predominantly paper-based, and formal risk-based surveillance plans and feedback mechanisms are lacking. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: In conclusion, while Malawi's animal health surveillance system has an established institutional framework, it is weakly structured and inconsistently operationalized. This is characterized by limited proactive surveillance, significant workforce gaps, under-resourced laboratory diagnostics, and fragmented data and communication channels. Nonetheless, a foundation for improvement exists, including legal provisions, a dedicated Epidemiology Unit within DAHLD, and a tiered surveillance workforce. Prioritized recommendations include developing and operationalizing a national surveillance strategy, strengthening laboratory and data systems, addressing critical workforce gaps, and integrating animal health surveillance into broader One Health and emergency preparedness frameworks.