Civil Society Organizations, Health Professional Associations and Patients Interest Groups says Government should not hesitate to solve number of problems facing the health sector at the moment.
This was said following the petition delivered to the National Assembly on Friday through Chair person for the Health Committee of Parliament, Juliana Lunguzi.
The Groups says most Health sector services are crippled which are causing leading to the poor quality services to the patients.
Gift Trapence, executive director for Cedep who is one of the nine signatories for the petition said the solutions in the health sector are needed now.
The petitioners observe that Malawi continue to struggle in its quest to provide free health services but gains supposed to accrue to average Malawian continue being eroded due to challenges in drugs and medical supplies availability coupled with inadequate funding for the health sector.
They therefore asked the National Assembly to intervene to the current situation and on the adequate National Budget allocation to the health sector.
"We are concerned with the significantly reduced Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT) allocation from K16.5 billion in 2014/2015 national budget to K12. 7 billion in 2015/2016 financial year.
This has affected the capacity of Ministry of Health to meet its obligations of ensuring quality care for all Malawians. District and Central Hospital received lowest allocation in recent years at 4.7% of the total of health sector budget leading to failure to settle water and electricity bills, stoppage of locum services, inadequate food for patients, challenges in referrals and failure to maintain equipment. There are no functional x-ray machines" reads petition
The petition adds: "We are concerned with Government failure to effectively address challenges surrounding drugs such as unavailability of drugs due to limited funding, drug pilferage and leakage, leading to low performance of curative services"
Among recommendations made in the petition includes increased national budget allocation to health of 15% of the total expenditure in order to meet Abuja Declaration to which Malawi is signatory.
It is also requesting Treasury to revise upwards the the ORT allocation to the sector and speedy process in the consultations on health financing including user fees as an option to sustainably finance the health sector.
Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV AIDS (MANERERA+), Centre for Development of People (CEDEP), National Organization of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM), Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN), Pharmaceutical Society of Malawi, Medical Doctor's Union, Patient and Community Welfare Foundation, Radiographers Association and Paramedics and Allied Health Workers are the signatories to the petition.
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