By Brenda Kayo:
A new survey by the Light Consortium has found that men in Malawi are disproportionately affected by tuberculosis (TB), facing higher risks of infection and greater barriers to prevention, diagnosis and treatment than women and children.
The six-year study, led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in collaboration with the African Institute for Development Policy and partners from Uganda, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Nigeria, highlights significant gender disparities in TB exposure and access to care.
Researchers found that men are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviours, including tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption, reported to be up to eight times higher than among women and girls, substantially increasing their vulnerability to infection.
In 2025, Malawi recorded 18,000 TB cases. Men accounted for 59 percent of infections, compared with 34 percent among women and 7 percent among children.
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circumstances
Afidep’s Executive Director, Eliya Zulu, said the findings underline the need for targeted interventions.
“Men face unique circumstances and challenges that increase their risk of TB exposure while limiting their access to and engagement with TB health services.
“As a result, transmission within communities increases, including to women and children,” he said.
Secretary for Health, Dan Namarika, acknowledged the disparity but pointed to progress in reducing overall TB cases nationwide.
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“In 2008, we registered 28,000 cases, but by 2025 the number had dropped to 18,000,” he said.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Anthony Masamba, said measures are being considered to address contributing factors.
“The committee is working to regulate risk factors, including proposals to introduce levies on shisha and alcohol, and to ensure better protection for men working in high-risk environments,” he said.
Tuberculosis remains one of Malawi’s leading public health challenges, despite sustained intervention efforts by the government and international partners such as the World Health Organization.
The disease, which primarily affects the lungs, is closely associated with poverty, overcrowding and weakened immune systems.
Men have consistently recorded higher infection and mortality rates, largely due to occupational exposure, lifestyle factors and delays in seeking medical care.
The survey found that many men present late for treatment, increasing the risk of transmission within households and communities.
Although awareness campaigns have been expanded, diagnostic services improved and access to treatment widened, the report warns that progress towards eliminating TB could remain slow without strategies specifically targeted at men.
