The Malawi government through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security has disclosed that the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has commenced the universal and compulsory registration and issuance of birth and death certificates in the country.

A statement issued by Ministry of Home Affairs made available to FaceofMalawi indicates that NRB started the whole process on August 1, 2015 in Chitipa, Ntcheu and Blantyre, including Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe.

According to the statement, the Bureau is currently processing all requests for Birth Certificates from all the 28 districts through the District Registration Offices located at each District Council in the country.

“The 1st August, 2015 commencement date means that the Department of the Registrar General which has been the issuing authority of Birth and Death certificates under the Birth and Death Registration Act of 1904 has stopped the issuance of these certificates. Nevertheless, all certificates issued so far by the Registrar General, are valid under the new Act.

“For registration, informants to any birth or death will have to fill the Birth Report Form (NR8) and the Death Report Form (NR10) in order to process the certificates respectively. Informants can be mother, father, or any close relative present at the time of birth or death in the absence of parents. The forms are available at District Registration Offices in all the District Councils and health facilities of the three pilot districts of Chitipa, Ntcheu and Blantyre,” reads in part the statement.

The Ministry further says registration and issuance of these certificates is free of charge.

The National Registration Act of 2010 mandates the NRB to implement, coordinate, manage and maintain the National Registration and Identification System (NRIS) in Malawi. NRB has the following deliverables: Birth Certificates; National Identity Cards for bonafide Malawians; Identity Cards for foreigners; Certificate of Registration of Marriage and Death Certificates.

The birth and death registration process is mainly being supported by US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, Plan Malawi, World Vision, and the Democratic Governance of the European Union.

For further enquiries please contact the Public Relations Officer, NRB, on: 0999787718 or nfulatira@yahoo.com