Introduction

Decanting and external pickup points (EPPs) are emerging as critical strategies for strengthening community-level health service delivery in Malawi. Overcrowded outpatient facilities, limited access to medicines, and systemic inefficiencies are no longer theoretical challenges—they are urgent realities that can compromise patient care and health outcomes. This webinar explored practical approaches and successful examples of implementing decanting and EPPs to improve access to medicines, reduce facility congestion, and support continuity of care.

Objectives

• To understand how facility congestion and centralized service delivery impact patient access and community health.
• To learn from practical examples across Southern Africa of differentiated service delivery models, including decanting and EPPs.
• To identify actionable strategies for scaling successful community-based care models, including the use of digital health innovations and AI-enabled tools.

Proceedings

The webinar opened with welcome remarks from Jacqui Watson (Genesis Analytics) and Andrew Likaka (Ministry of Health Malawi), who provided context on current health service delivery challenges and outlined the objectives of the session.

Country Experiences

• South Africa: Maggie Munsamy (NDOH) presented the CCMDD Programme, highlighting key lessons in improving medication access and reducing facility congestion.
• Zambia: Khozya Zyambo (MoH Zambia) shared insights on Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) models, emphasizing implementation strategies and community-level impacts.

A panel discussion and Q&A session, facilitated by Mathildah Chithila (ASRT), provided an opportunity for participants to explore practical challenges, innovative solutions, and lessons learned from implementing EPPs and decanting models across different contexts.

The session concluded with closing remarks from Jacqui Watson, who summarized the key takeaways and highlighted next steps for strengthening community-based service delivery.

Resources

Participants gained insights into digital health innovations, AI-enabled tools, and evidence-based strategies for scaling successful community care models. The webinar recording and presentation materials are available for further reference.

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