By Tione Andsen, MANA
Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has said the Government takes cognizance that equity in the access of health services in the country remains a great challenge when she received motorcycles and medical supplies worth K320 million from United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Friday in Lilongwe.
Chiponda receiving the donation from Schwenk
She said her Ministry was collaborating with partners to explore equity access to basic health services among all Malawians especially for those who live in remotest and hard to reach rural areas, where access to health services was still a challenge.
Chiponda pointed out that 84% of the population in the country is living in rural areas and 24% of them are living over eight kilometres away of a health facility.
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The Minister thanked UNICEF for continued support to the health sector, saying it has made significant contribution towards key priorities to support the attainment of community health vision of improving the livelihoods of people in the country.
She said UNICEF has provided various support in the implementation of integrated community health services delivery model initiative in Kasungu and Mangochi districts.
“UNICEF has procured 20 motorcycles, 3,200 backpacks and other essential health commodities including drugs to support village clinics,” she said.
Backpacks
“These motorcycles will be provided to health surveillance assistants in Kasungu and Mangochi.”
UNICEF Malawi representative, Rudolf Schwenk pledged to continue working hand in hand with the government and other partners to mobilize resources and technical support to sustain and build a healthy Malawi, targeting children.
“We have procured the supplies with the support of GAVI, the vaccine alliance and Rockefeller Foundation,” he said. “Together, we are helping health workers to save the lives of thousands of children from the burden of common childhood disease.”
Schwenk said communities are central to improve overall strengthening of health systems and improve health outcomes to all children.
“UNICEF has supported community intervention to improve child health for many years. Community based interventions include immunization treatment of malaria, pneumonia, diarrhea and other childhood illnesses, nutrition services, maternal and newborn health,” he said.
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