We Need Adequate, Sustainable Financing Of Health Sector- Trapence

Trapence in red scarf: pictured in November 2015
briefing media after presentimg petition to
National Assembly calling for adequate and
Sustainable financing of health sector 

Rights Activists continue to call for adequate and suitable financing of the Malawi’s Health Sector.

Gift Trapence, Executive Director for Cedep and Chairperson for Citizens Forum for the Defense of Good Governance said in an interview that the country needs to end persistently health sector challenges by making sure that the sector is adequately allocated with funding from the national budget and implement other sustainable ways of financing the sector including suggested user fees in hospitals.

The calls are coming at the moment the country is continuously facing challenges in the Health Sector which includes shortage of drugs, inadequate nurses and doctors, stoppage of Locum services among others.

“What we are asking the Government is to make sure that they are able to support or finance the Health System, at least 15% of the National total budget should be allocated to Ministry of Health or to the Health Sector." He said

Trapence

"This is in line with the Government Commitment what we call Abuja Declarations. African nations signed this declaration so that they are able to finance the health sector with enough resources with enough human resource. So we would want to see a shift in the way how we prioritize our spending we want more spending to the health sector. 

But as well, to have a long lasting solution in terms of sustainable financing of the health sector. Because what we have seen, there is a lot of ad hoc in the way how we finance the ministry of health and yet this is a most critical sector that we need to fund. Because healthy people means healthy nation and also it means development.” Explained Trapence 

He said Malawi has little resources but if used better some challenges can be fixed and emphasised prioritizing the spending because they can contribute meaningfully in averting challenges being faced.

On Friday, 20th November this year, concerned citizens comprising of Civil Society Organizations, Health Professional Associations and Patient Interest Groups delivered petition to the National Assembly calling for immediate response to the persistently inadequate national budget allocation to the health sector.

The petition highlighted number of challenges the country is facing due to inadequate funding of the sector.

It raised concern that Malawi remains one of the countries failing to meet the World Health organization (WHO) standard of 23 doctors/10,000 population necessary to deliver essential health services.  However, currently Malawi has 2 doctors and 37 midwives for every 100,000 people. And that the situation does not spare the paramedics and pharmacists.

The petition also revealed that due to inadequate funding most hospitals have stopped Locum Services.

They also asked government to speed up the consultation processes on health financing including user fees as an option to sustainably finance the health sector.

“It is healthy people who will fully contribute to the development of this nation. Therefore investing in health is one sure way of accelerating the sustainable development of the nation of Malawi. This is why the need to obtain 15% national budget allocation, including a clear strategy to strengthen the health systems can never be overemphasized. However the Government needs to realize that achievement of the Essential Health Package requires continued adequate financing.” Read the petition 

Mw Govt Calls NGO’s To Utilize Green Climate Fund Opportunity

Msaka 

Malawi Government has expressed its desire to see more institutions developing project proposals to Green Climate Fund to enable the country’s implementation of its climate change management priorities.

At the moment, the Green Climate Fund Board approved a six year project for Malawi worth US$ 12.3 million to enhance early warning systems as part of disaster risk reduction.

Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Bright Msaka said Green Climate Fund provides climate finance for developing countries to undertake actions to address climate change through mitigation, adaptation, capacity building among others.

But for the country to ably implement its climate change management priorities, Msaka said stakeholders from Government institutions, private sector, Civil Society, faith based institutions and academia are encouraged to develop project proposals which takes into account the country’s-driven strategies, priorities and needs, and submit proposals to the fund. 

He expressed hope that successful proposals will help to attract investment to the country’s instruments such as National Climate Change Investment Plan, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions and National Adaptation Programmes of Action.

“There is need therefore to initiate development project proposals to be submitted to the Green Climate Fund and other funds that are available under the Convention so that Malawi can develop and implement projects to restore its rivers, degraded ecosystems, forests, reduce emissions, increase climate resilience with the objective of achieving both mitigation and adaptation goals.” Said Msaka

The developed nations agreed to put money in a fund and money from that a fund will be distributed and allocated to countries depending upon the projects that a countries propose.

The minister said “There are identified areas where Government and NGO's can propose to the fund in order for them to get funding. So yes there is going to be available money to Malawi if we submit projects that meet the criteria that has been set for that purpose.”

He among others noted that the climate funding will assist the country in areas of climate information for farmers for example on time when the rains comes.

"We are going to have information readily available and we will going to work with institutions including NASFAM and others including extension workers to ensure that the information is readily available to farmers. The fact that we are going to also being in a position to tell people about and measure the levels of rivers and leaks and all water bodies we can then warn people to move away from areas of dangers so already issues of adaptation are being implemented through that fund" said Msaka 

He emphasized that in terms of Technology and transfer, Malawi stands to benefit in technology identification, development and transfer of environmentally-sound technologies. Such technologies will be harnessed and developed through the support from the Technology Framework Mechanism which will assist Malawi in addressing its cleaner technology priorities.

He said Forestry sector will benefit from the Global Landscapes Forum: Africa Restoration Initiative also referred to as AFR100 which is continental initiative with the goal of bringing 100 million hectares of degraded and deforested land in Africa into restoration by the year 2030.

Paris Agreement calls for a signature ceremony in April 2016 and requests that UN Secretary General should keep the Agreement open for signing until April 2017.  Malawi Government will after due consultations be signing the Paris Agreement thereafter ratifying it once necessary consultations and all arrangements are finalized.

Paris Agreement

The purpose of Paris Agreement will enhance the implementation of the Climate Change Convention that was adopted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June 1992. It also aims at strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.

The agreement will contribute to holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2º Celsius and pursue to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 Celcius

Paris Agreement acknowledges the inclusion of actions that contribute to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) by avoiding deforestation and also recognizes role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

The Paris Agreement contains decisions that will allow mobilization and provision of climate finance for developing countries to undertake actions to address climate change through mitigation, adaptation, capacity building, technology development and transfer, REDD+ and loss and damage.

The provision of scaled up financial resources should aim to achieve a balance between adaptation and mitigation, taking into account country-driven strategies, the priorities and needs of developing country Parties, especially those that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

Therefore developed countries are expected to continue to mobilize US$100 billion annually taking into account needs and priorities of developing countries.

The Agreement recognizes that climate finance will come from both external and national resources and also recognizes that grant-based resources are the preferred resource for adaptation actions as opposed to loans.

The agreement has established a Committee on Capacity building, whose aim is to address capacity gaps and needs in implementing climate change actions.

It is believed that unlike Climate Change Convention and its Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement has a clear pathway and road map for sources and channels for provision of climate finance 

ECM Secretariat Cheer Up Patients At Mlare Hospital With Items Close To Million Kwacha

Mlare Hospital 

Fr. Henry Saindi speaking to patients 

Malawi Catholic Secretariat team had on Thursday evening cheer up patients at a rural hospital in Lilongwe, Mlare Hospital and gave them assorted items valued close to a Million Kwacha.

The donation includes sanitation and hygiene products like soaps and various food items to every patient admitted at the Hospital.

Secretary General for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), Fr. Henry Saindi said through the donation, Catholic Church wanted to demonstrate church commitment to continue caring mission of Jesus Christ.

But he also mentioned that the ECM Secretariat chose Mlare Hospital because it is in the outskirt of Lilongwe City where organizations and many people of goodwill rarely visits patients during Christmas and New Year festive season. 

“They are so many organizations in town during this festive season who go to town hospitals for example Kamuzu Central Hospital to cheer the sick and give them their support unlike to the people who are admitted in the outskirt hospitals like Mlare.” Said Saindi

Doctor in Martenity ward briefing ECM delegation 

When presenting gifts to patients in every ward at the hospital, Fr. Saindi offered word of encouragement and hope to patients that even in their sickness God is with them always and he is there to care for them. He further told patients that through the donation the Catholic Church and as Christians, they also wanted to share and celebrate with them during this festive season.

“We wanted to cheer the sick because we are in the festive season of Christmas and New Year. While we are celebrating we should also acknowledge that there are so many people who are disadvantaged because they are meeting so many challenges in life either because they don’t have what they ought to have or they are meeting challenges like sickness. So as we are celebrating as Christians we are encouraged to celebrate while cheering those people who are not in the possibility of celebrating.” Explained Saindi

Sister Mini Thomas

Mlare Hospital administrator Sister Mini Thomas thanked the Catholic secretariat for the donation.

“We are very happy for coming forward and give support to our patients. And we are glad that they have come to cheer them and make this donation during this Christmas season because we know that these gifts gifts will help our patients because most of them are very poor. Surely our patients are very happy with this donation.” She said

Mlare Hospital is located about 30 kilometers South East of Malawi’s capital Lilongwe near Mitundu. The hospital has a capacity to admit more than 60 patients and see up to 200 patients a day.

Paris Agreement Gives Hope To Malawi In The Fight Of Climate Change

Msaka

Malawi Government consider Paris Agreement as a milestone in terms of solving climate crisis both in the country and globally.

The country is experiencing adverse effects of climate change which have recently affected most of its key economic sectors like agriculture and the latest being this year’s devastating floods followed by drought.

Malawi participated at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that was held in Paris, France from 30th November to 11th December 2015.

Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Bright Msaka who led delegation to Paris told Journalists in Lilongwe on Thursday that Paris Agreement will have a transformative effect and will accelerate significant normative and policy progress domestically. 

“The agreement will change the way Governments, civil society and the private sector view the links between climate responsibility, economic growth and social inclusion. It will enhance climate actions by all stakeholders.” Said Msaka while calling private sector, CSOs and faith institutions to work with Government in endeavors of combating climate change 

Msaka mentioned that Malawi is committed to contribute to global efforts in mitigating climate change and reducing carbon emissions through implementation of number of initiatives. 

"Malawi like all other countries has committed to ensuring that the global climate is not so adversely affected to a point where human life is impossible. So we Malawians have agreed to reduce emissions over a period of time to make sure that we employ more efficient and less polluting methods of developing ourselves. 

We have therefore agreed to plant more trees so that we create a carbon sink so that the green house emissions that are going to be created from both in Malawi and elsewhere have somewhere where they can sink and therefore we and the world are able to preserve environment and able to sustain the human life.” Explained Msaka

He assured that Government will intensify adaptation actions through formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans that includes construction of dams and water harvesting technologies, crop diversification and breeding of drought resistant livestock among others.

Msaka further said Government will continue to work with research institutions to undertake research and technology development of critical adaptation interventions such as drought resistant and fast maturing seed varieties to cope with the short duration of the rainfall season as a result of the changing climate.

Like other least developed countries, Malawi will also through assistance going to undertake mechanisms to address losses and damages that occur as a result of disasters arising from the impact of climate change.

On this, the Natural Resources Minister said the main focus will be on early warning systems, emergency preparedness and resilience of communities, livelihoods and ecosystems among others.

According to Msaka, this year’s floods were more eloquent enough than anyone else would explain about climate change therefore “this nation will never stop at anything to ensure that it protects its citizens from the impact of climate change."

It is estimated that Malawi total emissions contributes 0.06% to the total global warming.

President Mutharika Was Incorrect On Provision In ATI Bill

Trapence and Mtambo

It is now proven that President Peter Mutharika erred to claim that Access to Information (ATI) Bill has provision which bars National Assembly from reviewing the legislation once enacted.

Two renowned Civil Society Organizations, Centre for Development of People (Cedep) and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) have since faulted the Malawi leader saying they never came across such provision in the drat bill.

Peter Mutharika

President Mutharika told Journalists on Monday at Kamuzu Palace that the ATI bill has number of inconsistencies including two provisions which says; once enacted the law will cover any information that happened before its enactment (Against common law principle that the law takes effect on matters happening the day it is signed) and that “in future” no parliament can ever repeal the law.

But according to a statement from the Cedep and CHRR signed by its executive directors, Gift Trapence and Timothy Mtambo respectively, they have possession of the draft bill which the President quoted but never came across a clause which says Parliament shall not have the power to repeal the Access to Information law.

“It is equally significant that President was able to highlight some of the “inconsistencies” in the Bill during the press conference. We, at CHRR and Cedep, however, wonder where the ‘inconsistencies’ the President highlighted during the press briefing came from. We have the draft Access to Information Bill and have never come across a clause which says Parliament shall not have the power to repeal the Access to Information law.  The Access to Information Bill we have was informed by progressive model laws on access to information.” Reads the statement

Cedep and CHRR believe the inconsistency claims were mare lies and tactics to delay enactment of the legislation.

The two CSOs have therefore challenged government to publish all the said “inconsistencies” for the public to appreciate them in addition to publicize the ATI Bill, once all the ‘ironing out’ and ‘aligning’ of the bill with other laws is done, before tabling it in the National Assembly.

“This would enable citizens and other stakeholders to check if there are any adulterations in the Bill.  Otherwise, we are bound to believe that the President is simply buying cheap public sympathy to justify the delay in enacting the bill.” Said Cedep and CHRR

“Given the culture of secrecy on how government is run, compounded a recent background of plunder of resources, Malawians  can simply ill afford to have an adulterated piece of legislation that will fall short filling its democratic space. Malawians need a law that will add value to democracy.” Claims the statement

Cedep and CHRR statement further said the President was undemocratic to state that he is not going to take deadlines from Malawians. The CSO's says as an employee of the electorate, the President must be accommodative enough, fully cognizant that it is within the citizens rights to issue deadlines to their demands especially on matters that require urgent address by his leadership.

Reading the draft ATI bill in question we never found the provision which President Peter Mutharika claimed that “in future” no parliament can ever repeal the law  

Indeed, President Mutharika was right to mention that in the current ATI Draft Bill grant access to information even that existed before the legislation was signed according to Chapter 3 on the application of the legislation  

                 “3. - (1) This Act shall apply to information in the custody or under the control of any public body, relevant private body or other information holders listed in the Schedule hereto regardless of whether such information came into existence  before the commencement of this Act  

     However, “(2) This Act shall not apply to the following information: Cabinet records and those of its committees; court records prior to conclusion of a matter; and information excluded from publication under the Official Secrets Act; and personal information.”

Mutharika made the error on the Bill when speaking to Journalist at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday evening following his return on December 6 from Malta, UK and South Africa where he went to attend to Summit and hold number of bilateral talks.

President Mutharika continued to make his promise of taking Access to Information Bill to National Assembly but this time around says this will happen "at some point" in this 46th Session of National Assembly.

He said his Government is through Cabinet Committee on Legal matters is resolving inconsistencies which prevented the bill from being taken to just ended First Meeting of 46th Session of the National Assembly as promised.c7

Mutharika Says No Talks On Jet But More Time Is Wasted

Malawi President Peter Mutharika says he is wasting alot of time when he is on traveling out side the country using commercial fights, but his administration will not buy Presidential Jet to ease his transport problems.

Mutharika sounded in very disapointed tone telling Journalists at Kamuzu Palace that he wasted 10 hours during his recent trip to Malta, UK and South Africa after facing torment of being made to stand on very long queues at airports, waiting to catch a flight and making connections to reach final destination.

He said on his way to Malta, he spent 24 hours of traveling from Malawi to South Africa then Dubai to Rome where he got flight to Malta.

“The line you saw (picture circulating in social media) it was at Rome Airport." Said Mutharika and added "nothing was created” and "we wasted 10 hours of time."

He said pictures that stormed social media of him being on the queue at airports and the missing luggage were both real but the luggage was recovered after it was discovered that it got left behind at Johannesburg airport for some reasons.

Asked if at all his Government has any plans to buy a jet his response was “Let me answer that question once and for all. And then I hope this nonsense will stop once and for all. 

Government has no plans to buy a Jet” responded Mutharika repeatedly “Government has no plans, Government has no plans Ok” he said 

“We have no plans to buy a Jet period. So let’s leave this obsession about the Jet and move on” he added 

Besides, Mutharika says his administration is continuing with investigations into circumstances led to the sale of Presidential Jet by Jouce Banda administration and also finding out how the proceeds of the sale were used for.

The Malawi leader says the ongoing investigations shall also see if any procurement system was followed when selling the Jet.

Mutharika Makes Another Promise On ATI Bill

Add caption

President Peter Mutharika continues to make promise of taking Access to Information Bill to National Assembly but this time around says this will happen "at some point" in this 46th Session.

Since he was elected the president of Malawi, Peter Mutharika has made number of promises to enact the ATI bill. Most recent similar pronouncement was made in Salima district where he said the bill was finalised and ready for tabling during the First Meeting of 46th Session of National Assembly. However, Week before National Assembly Meeting his minister of Information, began to issue statements which contradicts president promise and the bill never went to the Assembly.

When Mutharika was speaking to Journalist at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday afternoon he said his Government is not fighting against the bill and will not “take deadlines” from anybody of when to have the bill enacted 

Again, Mutharika made usual promise when asked of the progress of resolving inconsistencies which Government said was main impediment to take the bill during just ended National Assembly meeting.

But this time around using a word ‘at some point’ for more than twice, he said the bill will be passed in this 46th Session of National Assembly but after Cabinet Committee on Legal matters addresses all inconsistencies.

He mentioned that there are number of provisions in the bill which his administration finds to be inconsistence.

“There are number of issues in the Bill. We have for example provision in the Bill which says that the bill will cover any information that happen before the bill was enacted.” indicates Mutharika

While stating that the provision is against principle of common law (called ex post facto law), which prohibits application of a legislation to things happened before it was adopted, maintained that he wants law take effect on the matters happening from the day he assent the bill.

“There is another one” he added “It says that, in future no parliament can ever repeal this law… But parliament is sovereign it can pass any law or repeal any law.” Said Mutharika

He went on “We are passing the bill not to please anybody, we are passing the bill in our interest its good that people should know in a democracy, how decision are made and we hope that all these requests will be made in responsible manner and that those information will be respected.” Said Mutharika and repeatedly said “We will pass the bill at some point.”

Mutharika was speaking to Journalist at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday evening following his return on December 6 from Malta, UK and South Africa where he attended Summit and held number of bilateral talks.

Minister of Foreign Affairs George Chaponda indicated in the Communique that President Mutharika in his engagements with UK government officials and legislatures spoke and got promise on budgetary aid resumption to Malawi.

Apparently, Malawi is required to meet number of conditions including passing Access to Information Bill for European Union (EU) (whose membership includes UK Government) and World Bank to disburse their promised budgetary aid.

Malawi Minister of Finance, Goodall Gondwe, delivered in the National Assembly a statement on 25th November 2015 on Economic status of the country wherein he indicated that donors like World Bank and EU will continue to withhold promised budgetary support until Malawi brings to Parliament the bill and meet other 19 conditions. 

But Mutharika on Monday said there is no need to put some conditions because “we are going” to pass the ATI Bill.

“It is in our manifesto, we are the first people to say in Manifesto that we are going to have Access to Information.” He said

How Crucial Is The Bill To Attract Budgetary Support?

EU and World Bank promised Malawi to resume their budgetary support.

However the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe admitted in the National Assembly on 25th November 2015 that on top of Public Finance Reform Management Programme, immediate IMF conditionality the two institutions have also added their own conditionality that Malawi needs to meet before their budgetary support is disbursed.

Goodall 

“A large number of conditionality has been agreed which we will have to satisfy before they can disburse the budgetary support. These two institutions require that we should have presented in this Parliament, Access to Information Bill (ATI) as well as implement reforms relating to wage administration that will expunge ghost workers in our wage bill.” Said in his statement in November National Assembly meeting

He added that the two institutions also demands that Malawi need completely reform the FISP which they essentially support so that more than half of the subsidized fertilizers is sold by the private sector instead of Smallholder Farmer Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi and ADMARC. He noted that in total there are more than 20 conditions that Malawi has to meet before the funds are disbursed.

“We are working on these now and we hope that we can satisfy them by the end of March 2016 so that the aid disbursement can take place during the fourth quarter of this fiscal year.” Said Goodall

He also mentioned that Malawi has reactivated IMF Programmes because they are helpful because they reinforce prudent fiscal management and require rigorous economic and financial discipline in Government and reserve Bank.

He therefore said Malawi is set to take number of measures to effect the required balancing of resource with expenditure so as to reduce inflationary pressures. He said this follows IMF conclusion that its programmes have been off track.

“We expect to bring the programme on track as the next IMF staff visit to Malawi (February 2016) when the data for the first half of financial year (July to December 2015) will be examined. 

He therefore highlighted that the conclusion of IMF that Malawi is back on track will be valuable to attract donors to review their stand on their support to Malawi.

“Certainly we know that regardless of the conditionality they have given us the first conditionality that EU and World Bank have given us to resume their pledged budgetary support is the observance of IMF programme.” he said 

Gondwe further added that the IMF programe could also be advertised to the private sector internationally that prudent finance management is resumed in Malawi 

“It is critical in regenerating confidence in the economy” he added

Several donor nations in 2013 suspended budgetary aid to Malawi following public money looting scandal known as Cashgate. The latest to announce the delay of funding were donors under the Common Approach to Budget Support (CABS).

Through the suspension, Malawi lost almost 40% of its budgetary assistance.