Supported by the RCSI-led Akazi Project, Malawi's first National Breast Health Guidelines have been launched, marking a turning point in how breast cancer is detected, diagnosed and treated across the country.

Developed in collaboration with the Malawi Ministry of Health, the Agency for Scientific Research and Training (ASRT), and Malawi's leading public health and breast cancer specialists, the guidelines translate years of research, partnership and health-system strengthening into a practical national resource for healthcare workers across the country.

Until now, health workers at primary care centres and hospitals had limited guidance on recognising potential breast cancer, investigating patients and navigating referral pathways. This left women across the country without a clear or consistent route to diagnosis and treatment.

The guidelines offer practical advice for frontline healthcare workers to identify the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, conducting clinical assessments, following referral pathways, and managing patients. They aim to support earlier recognition and referral, where timely intervention can have the greatest impact on patient outcomes.

"These guidelines provide a common reference point for everyone involved in breast cancer care and will help standardise the care offered to women across Malawi," explained Dr Jakub Gajewski, RCSI Institute of Global Surgery and Akazi Principal Investigator.

For the Akazi partnership, this milestone follows another significant achievement in strengthening breast health services nationwide. In 2024, the project introduced a dedicated training programme for frontline healthcare workers to help address knowledge and skill gaps at district level. The new national guidelines now provide the necessary policy and clinical framework to support and standardise this practice across Malawi's health system.

Together, the training programme and the guidelines are an important step towards creating a coordinated national breast cancer pathway, improving opportunities for earlier diagnosis and helping more women access appropriate care sooner.