Reported by Mustapha Omolabake Omowumi, Managing Editor | Sele Media Malawi.
Retired Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM) director Dr Ben Chilima has reportedly died after collapsing suddenly while at home in Lilongwe, according to information attributed to his family.
The respected public health specialist is reported to have collapsed on Friday while chatting with his wife and one of their children. His wife said the family immediately sought medical assistance and rushed him towards Good Hope Hospital in Lilongwe, but he reportedly died on the way.
The circumstances surrounding his sudden death have sent shockwaves through Malawi’s public health and professional communities, where Dr Chilima was known for his contribution to disease surveillance, health systems development and the strengthening of the country’s public health preparedness.
His reported death also carries particular significance because Dr Chilima was the elder brother of the late former Vice-President Saulos Klaus Chilima, who died alongside eight other people in a military aircraft crash in June 2024.
At the time of publication, however, the circumstances of Dr Ben Chilima’s death had not been independently confirmed by the Malawi Government, the Ministry of Health, a hospital authority or another major independent news organisation. Sele Media Malawi therefore attributes the account of his collapse, attempted transfer to hospital and death to his family.
A sudden loss reported by the family
According to his wife, Dr Chilima was in conversation with her and their child when he suddenly collapsed.
The family reportedly responded immediately by taking him towards Good Hope Hospital in Lilongwe. His wife said he died while on the way to the hospital.
No official medical cause of death had been made public at the time of this report. It is therefore not appropriate to speculate about what may have caused the collapse or death.
The sudden nature of the reported incident has heightened the sense of loss among those who knew Dr Chilima professionally and personally, particularly within Malawi’s health sector.
For a public health professional whose career was closely associated with disease surveillance and preparedness, his reported passing represents the loss of a figure who played a role in the development of Malawi’s national public health architecture.
Dr Chilima’s contribution to Malawi’s public health system
Dr Benson Chilima served as Director of the Public Health Institute of Malawi, an institution established to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, prevent and respond to public health threats.
International public health institutions have previously documented his leadership role at PHIM. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, for example, identified Dr Ben Chilima as director of Malawi’s public health institute during a 2022 engagement focused on strengthening public health systems.
His professional work extended beyond administrative leadership. Dr Chilima was involved in discussions and research concerning disease surveillance, health security and the ability of Malawi’s public health system to respond to emerging outbreaks.
His name has also appeared in scientific publications relating to Malawi’s public health response and disease surveillance programmes, reflecting his involvement in the technical side of public health policy and implementation.
The International Association of National Public Health Institutes has previously identified Dr Benson Chilima as Director of PHIM and documented his participation in work examining Malawi’s integrated disease surveillance system.
His professional contribution was therefore situated within an important area of national health security: the ability of authorities to identify outbreaks early, analyse disease trends and coordinate responses before public health threats escalate.
Leadership during the development of PHIM
Dr Chilima was among the professionals involved in the development of PHIM during its formative years.
An International Association of National Public Health Institutes case study on the creation of Malawi’s public health institute identifies Dr Benson Chilima as having served as PHIM director from 2020 to 2022 and notes his involvement in the institution’s development from the beginning.
The case study also describes PHIM’s role in national responses to major public health challenges, including COVID-19, cholera, polio and other emerging health threats.
That institutional history places Dr Chilima within a generation of Malawian public health professionals who worked to strengthen the country’s capacity to deal with health emergencies through surveillance, preparedness and coordinated response.
His professional record was not limited to one disease or one public health emergency. Instead, his work was connected to the broader objective of building systems capable of identifying and responding to threats affecting the population.
For Malawi, that work has become increasingly important as the country continues to confront infectious diseases, climate-related health emergencies, outbreaks and other pressures on an already stretched health system.
A respected voice in public health
Dr Chilima’s professional profile extended into academic and international public health circles.
He has been associated with research examining health policy, disease surveillance and public health systems in Malawi. His work has involved collaboration with researchers and institutions outside the country, contributing to broader discussions about how Malawi can improve its capacity to respond to public health emergencies.
In 2022, Dr Chilima participated in international discussions on integrated disease surveillance, highlighting challenges facing Malawi, including limitations in funding, data collection and analytical capacity.
Such issues remain central to public health planning because early detection and reliable information are critical to preventing localised outbreaks from becoming wider emergencies.
His experience therefore placed him at the intersection of government policy, scientific research and public health implementation.
The reported death comes at a time when Malawi continues to rely heavily on professionals with expertise in disease surveillance, epidemiology, emergency preparedness and health-system strengthening.
The Chilima family’s previous national tragedy
Dr Ben Chilima was also widely known to Malawians as the elder brother of former Vice-President Saulos Chilima.
The death of Saulos Chilima in June 2024 placed Dr Ben Chilima in the national spotlight as a family representative during one of Malawi’s most closely watched tragedies.
Saulos Chilima and eight others died when a Malawi Defence Force aircraft crashed in the Chikangawa Forest after travelling from Lilongwe towards Mzuzu.
During the subsequent mourning period, Dr Ben Chilima represented the family publicly and called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
He later continued to speak on behalf of the Chilima family during discussions concerning investigations into the accident and the release of official findings.
His public role during that period was marked by calls for transparency and a thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The Nation, The Times Group and the Malawi News Agency were among the established Malawian outlets that reported his role as a family representative during the aftermath of the former vice-president’s death.
In 2024, international reporting by the Associated Press also documented the Chilima family’s call for an independent investigation into the aircraft crash.
The experience placed Dr Ben Chilima at the centre of a difficult national moment, as he simultaneously dealt with personal bereavement and represented the family in public discussions about the tragedy.
A professional life beyond public attention
Despite becoming more publicly recognised following the death of his younger brother, Dr Ben Chilima’s professional career was primarily rooted in public health.
His work at PHIM placed him among specialists responsible for strengthening Malawi’s ability to monitor disease threats and prepare for health emergencies.
His professional activities also included collaboration with international health organisations and researchers.
Scientific literature continues to identify Benson Chilima among contributors to research relating to Malawi’s health system and disease surveillance.
That body of work provides a wider picture of his professional contribution beyond the public attention that followed the 2024 death of his brother.
For colleagues in the health sector, his reported passing is therefore not only a family tragedy but also the reported loss of an experienced public health professional with a career spanning government service, institutional development and research.
No official cause of death announced
As of publication, the family had reportedly confirmed the death but no detailed medical explanation for the sudden collapse had been made public.
Sele Media Malawi has not independently verified the medical circumstances surrounding the death.
There is consequently no basis at this stage to attribute the death to a particular illness, medical condition or other cause.
The report that he collapsed while speaking with family members and died while being taken to Good Hope Hospital remains a family account pending official confirmation.
Further information from the Ministry of Health, the hospital, law-enforcement authorities or the family may provide additional clarity regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.
Until such information becomes available, responsible reporting requires that speculation be avoided.
A loss for Malawi’s public health community
If confirmed, Dr Ben Chilima’s death would mark a significant loss for Malawi’s public health community.
His career was connected to efforts to strengthen the systems that protect the population against disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.
The importance of such work is often most visible during moments of crisis, when surveillance systems, laboratories, epidemiological expertise and coordinated government responses determine how quickly health threats can be identified and contained.
Dr Chilima’s professional record places him among Malawian experts who contributed to those systems during a period in which the country confronted major health challenges, including COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreaks.
His reported death also comes less than three years after he was thrust into the national spotlight following the death of his brother, Saulos Chilima.
For the Chilima family, the reported passing represents another profound loss. For Malawi’s health sector, it could mark the departure of a professional whose career was closely linked to the development of national public health capacity.
Sele Media Malawi’s position
Sele Media Malawi extends its condolences to the Chilima family, colleagues, friends and all those who worked with Dr Ben Chilima.
The publication of this report is based on information attributed to the family concerning his reported collapse and death.
Sele Media Malawi will continue to monitor developments and update this report if official confirmation, medical information or further statements are issued by the family, the Ministry of Health, Good Hope Hospital or other authoritative sources.
The publication maintains that information concerning deaths, particularly sudden deaths, should be handled with accuracy, dignity and restraint.
Any subsequent official information will be assessed independently and incorporated into the story where appropriate.
International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI) background on Dr Benson Chilima’s leadership of PHIM and Malawi’s integrated disease surveillance work.
Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) documentation of Dr Ben Chilima’s role as director of the Public Health Institute of Malawi.
University of Pennsylvania background on Dr Benson Chilima’s public health career and retirement from PHIM.
The Nation reporting on Dr Ben Chilima’s role as spokesperson for the Saulos Chilima family.
The Times Group reporting on Dr Ben Chilima’s role in the aftermath of the Saulos Chilima plane crash.
Malawi News Agency (MANA) reporting on the funeral and family representation following Saulos Chilima’s death.
Associated Press international reporting on Saulos Chilima’s death and the family’s call for an independent investigation.