MP Lunguzi demands financial contributions from Malawians towards health sector

Member of Parliament for Dedza East Constituency Juliana Lunguzi has asked the Malawi government to come up with mechanisms that will ensure that Malawians start to provide financial contributions that
will assist in easing some of the challenges the country is experiencing in the Health Sector.

Lunguzi: Terrifying reality 

Lunguzi, who is also Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Population in Parliament, made the call at the presentation of results and awards for the Result Based Finance for Maternal and
Neonetal (RBF4MNH) Cycle 14 held at the Capital Hotel in Lilongwe on Wednesday.

She said it is sad to note that Malawi is among the few countries. whose citizens litelary contributes totally nothing towards the health sector hence increasing the rate of problems and challenges faced.

“We need to start contributing to the health sector to make sure that medical personnel are working properly. In so doing, we can have
enough drugs and adequate facilities in our hospitals” said Lunguzi.

She therefore warned that if this is not done, Malawian Citizens will. continue to complain of poor service delivery in public hospitals
including shortage of drugs and equipments.

In reaction to Lunguzi’s call, Principal Secretary in the Minister of Health Dr. Dan Namarika said government is working around the clock in search of best mechanisms that will help to ease several challenges
the Health Sector is facing.

Namarika admitted that his ministry is indeed still facing so many serious challenges due to inadequate funding.

He therefore revealed that the government is in the process of recruiting more medical personnel as well as encouraging Malawians to
hold hospital authorities accountable.

“Issues of Human Resources are a priority and as government, we are determined to employ more people in the health sector so that they
serve you” said Namarika.

He also hailed RBF initiative for its tremendous contribution in
serving lives of pregnant mothers and newborn babies.

Namalika said rewards given to Health Centres, Public and CHAM Hospitals are
encouraging health personnel who in return offers the best medical services.

He also advised Hospital Management Teams to collaborate well with Health Advisory Committees in their respective areas to ensure that drugs and other medical equipments are properly tajen care of.

On his part, RBF Project Director Matthews Naviiri expressed satisfaction with the progress of the initiative since its inception.

“As RBF Team, we are very proud to see that wour overall performance is at 91 percent to me I think it is a greatest achievement.

“Some can say why are we not at 100 percent but if we look at where we
are coming from thus 18 percent, I think we can congratulate ourselves” said Naviiri.

He therefore encouraged officials from the Ministry of Health and the entire personnel in the health sector to work hard and pledged
continued financial support.

Naviiri revealed that they will invest about half a million dollars to purchase equipment that will de distributed to various health centres
and public hospitals.

Other construction projects are also expected to start in Septemember according to the RBF Project Manager.

“The idea behind all this including the awards is to encourage those in the health sector to provide quality health services,” said Naviiri.

“No woman shall die while giving birth and no baby shall die before reaching 5th birthday,” he concluded.

RBF4MNH supports the Malawi government in addressing factors contributing to high levels of maternal and newborn deaths using
innocative approaches and it is locally called ‘Uchembere wangwiro’.

It is a pilot programme aimed at increasing the number of facility based birth and enhance the quality of care provided to women during
labour and delivery.

During the presentation of Cycle 14 results, health centres, public and CHAM hospitals were awarded with money as a tocken of appreciation for their great work totalling to K108,267,075.00.

He RBF initiative currently covers four districts of Balaka, Ntcheu, Dedza and Mchinji.

Mchinji emerged the overall best performing district after scoring 93 percent followed by Dedza and Ntcheu who were tied at 91 percent while Balaka came fourth with 90 percent.

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Billy Chilewani
Billy Chilewani
6 years ago

Thumbs up Hon Lunguzi. It is a thought long overdue. Anthu mukuwaika mawu mkamwa mwawo, amatha midzimu kupita kwa a sing’anga (traditional healer) and pay chipondanthengo cha K3,000.00 without any negotiation so you mean putting a small fee for us to have drugs throughout the year is a crime??? Leave politics out of this issue, let our Honourable MPs discuss this issue with sober minds and come up with a win win situation for our citizenry. I know in any given country there will always be those who are incapacitated, some simply lazy bones waiting for handouts, others well off… Read more »

Yahya
6 years ago

People of Malawi, lets see from our neighbors how do they manage that. I am told even people with 0 (zero) income do get the health insurance. Human being are made to fear for unknown. I know to majority its the fear which is driving them into having this grand concern. Lets kick start it we will see things figures out. This as well will help our facilities to filter and easily identify Malawians and non Malawians. We do not say we are intending to deny service to other Nationalities which are benefiting from our arrangement, its rather organization and… Read more »

Che Wanimiliyoni
6 years ago

Mai Lunguzi you are an MP and very well educated for that matter and should know better that 80% of Malawians survive on govt budget and the last passed stood at K1.2 trillion. Now do your mathematics very well and you will find that out of the 17,000,000 Malawians an average villager can only get K6,000 per month nde achotse pompo akalipire kuchipatala? Are you serious madam MP? Even if we double that to K12,000 due to some donor inflows and private business that will still be insufficient for somebody to pay hospital bills. Please senior public officers stop being… Read more »

Kuntunda
Kuntunda
6 years ago

Kodi Juliana Lunguzi ali ndi mwana? help me. she is my crush. who has done this to her?

Yahya
6 years ago

Every era is with its books. Kamuzu era is gone! We do appreciate the fight for freedom and Nationality brought by. Lets focus at now and what to be done. It is the time for people to share cost with the Government. If every single pen is put in one basket, Cash gates will come again and again. If money are being put sector wise we will see progress sectoral wise! Let Hon. Lungu be supported here. Let people know that we are left behind when we depend on Government do everything for us and lets be the voice of… Read more »

nsanai kugwe
nsanai kugwe
6 years ago

nnaona cipatala ca pa Dedza ndili ndi patient. eeee koma zoopsatu. zomwe ndinaona kubisa mankhwala staff. nanga ife tiatnipo. shelter ya azimai oyembekezera woooooooo cisoni ngati kuntaya , nde pali wa pa mayani mnyamata wina woimililia dedza ciani kaya? wabisa lodge yake ikumangidwa kobisa opposite nseu otulukila from mayani to dedza as mukupita ku dz town. m mnbali mwa manda kuseli kwa dz isalmic sec school. nde kuti cani nde mukuti tizisonkha? sosteni gwewngwe manyumba wadzutsa manyumba atangolekana ndi mace uja, nanga aksunga thumba la boma nthawi ya mai nchona uja -kensoni lipenga, akulilizila kuti lipenga lace, wangoti panile wakhala… Read more »

nsanai kugwe
nsanai kugwe
6 years ago

pano minister wa health muluzi,sha akudziwa cani zaubwino wa umoyo, hehedeee koma pa mw pano nde pali ndondatu

nsanai kugwe
nsanai kugwe
6 years ago

eeieiei misonkho yathuyi ikupita kutiko????????// miseu anta, ma transport tikukwera kabaza,mankhwala akucita exsipire eg ku balaka anataidwa,olo mankhwala kumasowa mu zipatala akupita ku ma private clinic a ma bwana, kodi dziko likunka kwaaniko? mitu yathu ikuzwetatu.

Yahya
6 years ago

We talked and suggested of the cost sharing long back but it seems there are no well wishers for Malawi who opposes this. Every other country in the World contributes to this, or else lay down policy for every citizen of Malawi to have the health policy. Its possible people! Eh

Leave politics aside and support Hon.Lungu on this

Dzambo
Dzambo
6 years ago

Linguzi, Malawians pay nothing in hospitals? Thats an overstatement! Except Mps one of which is you, Malawians thought their taxes, rated among the highest in the world, pay for their healthy services.

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