Health Donors Group have told Parliament that they are pulling funding to the health and challenged Government to find alternative sources of funding the sector.
The donors met Parliamentary Health Committee on Wednesday afternoon. The donors include the US, UK, Germany and other countries.
One month ago the same donors withdrew funding on utility bills to the health sector because of rising corruption. Donors are uncomfortable that they should be funding a government that is stealing money.
In the discussion, donors lamented lack of accountability and theft of public funds in the last one year. Donors specifically cited the stolen K6 billion and K17 billion which was intended to save lives from Covid 19 pandemic. Many Malawians are dying more than ever because government has inadequate drugs and facilities.
Donors also questioned why the Chakwera government has refused to audit K17 billion citing lack of funding when actually the Auditor General’s office is being fully funded.
Meanwhile, Malawi Revenue Authority is undercollecting revenue because of mismanagement. Government is failing to buy drugs and fund hospitals because of financial mismanagement.
The donors’ challenge for Government to find their own funding is expected to bring harder times to Malawians.
