By Staff Reporter
Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandondo Chiponda, has lauded the launch of the Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan 3 and the Health Financing Strategy, as essential to improving and promoting the quality of healthcare service delivery in the country.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lilongwe, the minister noted that these strategic plans will help increase life expectancy, reduce maternal mortality rates, decrease HIV prevalence, and enhance health infrastructure development and services.
Chiponda also underlined that the plan will improve health services at the community level and provide health workers with necessary and readily available equipment.
She said the strategic plan will also convert Health Centres into Community District Hospitals to provide integrated health services and care, and also provide a platform for digitising all health care systems for efficient delivery.
The minister stated that districts like Lilongwe and Blantyre, will benefit from the plan, allowing them to have District Hospitals, which they have lacked for a long time.
She further highlighted that the current budget allocation of 12% to the Ministry of Health indicates government’s commitment to fulfilling the Abuja declaration.
“The declaration states that every national budget must contribute 15% to the national budget to promote the well-being of livelihood.
“As a country, we have managed 12 percent, which is a good gesture in health promotion,” Chiponda said.
The Executive Director for Malawi Equity Health Network (MEHN), George Jobe, commended government for the current allocation to the Ministry of Health, saying the move is close to the fulfilment of the Abuja declaration.
