Date of Death: 22 September 2026

The Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Malawi (AOGM) is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Francis William Kamwendo, who passed away in Sweden on 22 September 2026.

Dr Kamwendo was a distinguished Malawian obstetrician and gynaecologist, medical educator and researcher who made important contributions to medical education, maternal and newborn health, and the development of healthcare in Malawi. Over the course of his career, he was affiliated with several academic institutions, including the University of Malawi College of Medicine, now Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), University College Dublin and the University of Warwick.

Dr Kamwendo received his medical education at Uppsala University in Sweden, where he also met his wife, Kitty, and spent much of his professional life. In 1999, he obtained his PhD from Uppsala University, with research focusing on acute pelvic inflammatory disease, including its diagnosis, causes, long-term consequences, epidemiology and prevention.

Following his retirement in Sweden, Dr Kamwendo returned to Malawi and joined the College of Medicine as an Associate Professor. He served for a period as Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and played an important role in establishing the Master of Medicine (MMed) programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Through this work, he contributed to the training and development of a new generation of obstetricians and gynaecologists in Malawi.

Contribution to Maternal and Newborn Health

Dr Kamwendo’s research focused particularly on improving maternal and newborn healthcare in resource-limited settings. He had a strong interest in strengthening the skills and leadership of non-physician clinicians and other mid-level healthcare providers involved in emergency obstetric and newborn care.

He made significant contributions through the Enhancing Training and Technology for Mothers and Babies in Africa (ETATMBA) project. This work examined how training, mentorship and clinical leadership could strengthen the capacity of healthcare providers working in underserved settings and ultimately improve care for mothers and newborns.

His research also explored task-sharing, clinical leadership, supportive supervision and the factors affecting the motivation and job satisfaction of healthcare workers. Through this work, he contributed important evidence on practical approaches to strengthening maternal and newborn health services in Malawi and other African countries.

Dr Kamwendo was a prolific researcher and contributed to numerous scientific publications. His work included research on outcomes of emergency obstetric surgery performed by clinical officers and medical officers in Malawi; training clinical officers in emergency obstetric and neonatal care and clinical leadership; and understanding the factors influencing the retention and motivation of healthcare workers providing obstetric care. His research was published in journals including the Malawi Medical Journal, BMJ Global Health, BMJ Open, and Globalization and Health.