Malawi: Honourable Ben Phiri Takes Local Health Messaging to Global Stage

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Phiri is set to step onto the global stage as a key speaker at a high-level forum on health communication leadership, hosted by the USC Center on Communication Leadership and Policy.

The international forum will convene senior fellows from across Africa--Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa--creating a powerful platform to exchange real-world experiences on how communication can transform public health delivery on the ground.

Phiri, part of the inaugural fellowship cohort, is expected to present Malawi's evolving approach to strengthening communication between local councils and communities. His focus will spotlight how clearer, more responsive messaging is improving the delivery of public health services--an area often blamed for gaps in policy implementation.

The Malawian minister joins a select group under the University of Southern California fellowship programme, alongside three other pioneers shaping a new generation of global health communication leaders.

Set for Thursday, March 26, 2026, the forum will run in a hybrid format, with in-person participation at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs in Washington, D.C., while a wider global audience connects virtually.

The line-up of speakers reflects the breadth of Africa's health challenges and innovations. Presentations will include research on HIV and aging from Kenya, insights from the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism, and regional disease control strategies from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The event is being jointly hosted by a network of leading global institutions, including the USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, the GW Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication, the Public Diplomacy Council of America, the Center for African Studies at Howard University, and the African Centre for the Study of the United States at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Running from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time (9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time), the session will also be accessible worldwide via Zoom--extending the conversation beyond conference walls.

Read the original article on Nyasa Times.