Malawi Parliament demands answers on Phalombe Hospital construction, CHAM pact

Parliament’s Health Committee has told government that it wants progress reports on the memorandum of understanding between the ministry of Health and Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM)  and progress on the construction of new Phalombe Hospital.

Chairman of the committee Juliana Lunguzi said the government seems to be backsliding on issues that parliament had passed.

“In the last meeting of parliament, we discussed and agreed on the way forward concerning the government and Cham but things seems to not be working as we agreed.

“We need the ministry officials to come back to us and tell us progress as rural people are suffering in the absence of the MOU,” said Lunguzi.

The government agreed to pay close to K500000 million in arrears to CHAM so that ordinary people can access cheap health services from the church run mission hospitals.

Lunguzi also said there seems to be no progress on the construction of Phalombe Hospital despite parliament authorization a loan for the construction of the hospital.

There is no district hospital in Phalombe and the district depends on Catholic run Holy Family Hospital.

Lunguzi said there was need to make a follow up on the progress of the construction saying people of Phalombe, just like others, deserve a public district hospital.