Capital Hill moves to secure health financing as donor uncertainty looms
Health authorities are developing a financing strategy to address the funding gap for medical supplies and ensure continued access to essential medications.
Malawi is among African countries that benefit from US aid, particularly in the health sector, and a decision to temporarily halt support spelled disaster for many.
However, through a letter on Tuesday, the US government announced a waiver on the decision to halt support of life-saving humanitarian assistance applies to core life-saving medicine.
Despite the decision reversal ministry of health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe stresses the need for a reliable health financing strategy that will help reduce reliance on foreign support.
Chikumbe said: “It’s high time we also make sure that we are increasing our resource basket from local resources.”
He said the ministry is working on crafting protocols that will guarantee the security of resources whenever gaps emerge.
“This is why as a ministry we have developed the health financing strategy so that we increase on the resource end so that when these things happen they do not affect as much as it may happen now,” Chikumbe said
On the other hand, executive director of the Network of Journalists Living with HIV (JONEHA), David Kamkwamba, emphasized the need for domestic resource mobilization initiatives driven by the government to ensure sustainability.
“We must devise mechanisms for a domestic resource mobilization which can be complemented by external or donor aid instead of vice versa. This is very important to us as a nation.” Kamkwamba said.
The Malawi Health Equity Networks (MHEN) also shared sentiments emphasizing the importance of investing in industries that can produce life-prolonging drugs locally as opposed to relying on the international community to supply the product.
The MHEN executive director, George Jobe said: “We think this should be taken as a lesson and that we must put infrastructure in place for manufacturing of medicines including ARVs. If we can have factories right here in Malawi then that means we can have them at a low cost”
Meanwhile, some concerned citizens living with HIV have petitioned President Lazarus Chakwera urging him to invest in healthcare services, particularly in providing easy access to life-prolonging drugs.
The group made several demands, including urging President Chakwera to redirect funds allocated for MACRA’s information and disinformation tracking system toward the urgent procurement of ARVs for Malawians in need.
Additionally, they called for an urgent review and reallocation of funds within the national budget, prioritizing the health sector.
“We demand a public statement from you, outlining the immediate steps your government is taking—together with the Ministry of Health—to ensure that ARVs are available to all Malawians who rely on them for survival. This crisis cannot be ignored, and we will not remain silent as our lives are put at risk,” reads part of the petition issued by the anonymous people.
At least 1 Million people in the country are on ARVs.
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