2025 UHC Day Champion
Samuel Kumwanje
NCD advocate, Malawi
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I share my story because it is crucial that affordable services are accessible for people living with kidney disorder and other NCDs in my country. Work still must be done to make sure that conditions are diagnosed early and treated with the right care for the entire population, regardless of socioeconomic background.
Samuel Kumwanje is a dedicated advocate for people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Malawi and beyond. As project coordinator for the Our Views, Our Voices initiative within the NCD Alliance, he has documented and raised attention to the gaps in service delivery and the stark lack of affordability of care for many living with chronic conditions.
Drawing on his own and others’ lived experiences, Samuel has underscored the importance of accessible, timely diagnosis, treatment and continuous care — while highlighting how late diagnoses, high out-of-pocket costs, limited access to free public care, and insufficient insurance coverage continue to deepen inequities.
Recognizing the need for systemic change, Samuel collaborated with Malawi’s national NCD Alliance to develop and present a policy brief to the national Technical Working Group on NCDs, advancing concrete recommendations on NCD financing, including increased health-budget allocations and strengthened health taxes to support sustainable and equitable care.
Through his leadership, Samuel champions the integration of NCD services into publicly financed health systems and advocates for financial protection measures that ensure every person -regardless of income-can access the care they need without being pushed into poverty. His work reflects the core principles of UHC: equity, affordability, and leaving no one behind.
