By JOSEPH MWALE
Nation Publication
The Civil Society Advocacy Forum (Csaf) says its analysis of health sector proposals outlined in the manifestos of various political parties has revealed substantial gaps in understanding and commitment to addressing specific needs of the health sector.
Csaf, a grouping of more than 80 organisations actively working on health and other advocacy, conducted a review of health sector commitments ahead of the September 16 presidential election.
A statement on the analysis shows that most manifestos lack concrete strategies for financing the health sector sustainably.
What’s in the manifestos?
From the published manifestos so far, the People’s Party (PP) led by former president Joyce Banda proposes to implement new cost-sharing financing strategies such as levies added on national budgetary allocations and tobacco.
It also mentions to establish a National Health Fund to finance the alternative health financing mechanisms while ensuring that allocations to the health sector remain a compulsory recurrent health programme.
On its part, UTM Party does not provide specific measures for sustainable financing of the health sector but outlines other measures to address issues, including medical aid, Public Private Partnerships, free ARVs, dialysis machines, and the fix drug supply systems and expand rural clinics.
The erstwhile governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) says it will maintain the current financing strategies but will also support National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
United Democratic Front (UDF), whose manifesto was released last week, outlines that the party will establish a National Health Services Fund (NHSF). “The NHSF shall be capitalised through levies on alcohol, cigarettes, soft drinks and airtime scratch cards and fuel,” it reads.
Csaf concerns
Donor contributions have dominated the country’s health financing, accounting for over 60 percent of total resources.
Csaf argues that this has created significant risks as external aid changes depending on donor priorities, leaving Malawi vulnerable to sudden funding cuts, especially for marginalised populations, and a decline in the quality of healthcare services.
Reads Csaf statement: “While a few parties have mentioned strategies to finance the health sector in their manifestos, most have not clearly explained plans on how they will domestically mobilise for the health sector.
“Political Parties and independent candidates are failing to recognise health as part of human capital development as such they are not prioritizing or mentioning the allocations to be made to the health sector.”
Further, it argues that some parties are operating within the traditional comfort zone that has influenced donor dependence over the years, challenging their ability to propose innovative strategies for a turnaround in health financing.
In a separate interview, Csaf chairperson Gift Trapence called on political parties and independent candidates to provide clear strategies on how their potential administration would locally generate resources to finance the health sector.
Trapence: We must prioritize generating resources
He said: “The country must prioritise generating domestic resources to fund the health sector rather than heavily relying on external support.”
Last month, the United Kingdom announced a decision to cut foreign aid to sectors such as health to 11 countries, including Malawi, putting the country at risk of another financial gap.
The decision came at a time Malawi is yet to receive the K400 billion aid cut by the United States Agency for International Development.
Government requires $31.2 billion (K54.1 trillion) to implement the Health Sector Strategic Plan III (HSSP III), which aims to build strong and robust health systems from 2023 to 2030.
