Parliamentary Committee on Health Vice Chairperson Eurita Valeta says Direct Facility Funding (DFF) is critical in addressing some challenges faced by health facilities in the country.
Valeta, who is Parliamentarian for Nsanje South West, made the remarks when the committee members visited Jalawe Health Centre and Rumphi District Hospital to appreciate facilities where DFF is being piloted.
The DFF pilot programme in Rumphi is part of the Health Sector Strategic Plan funded by UNICEF through CHAI.
“We are impressed with how Jalawe Health Centre is implementing the DFF. With grants they received from UNICEF, they have managed to construct toilets, bathrooms and some maintenance works at the facility,” she said.
Valeta further said the Parliamentary Health Committee will advocate to government through the Ministy of Health and Parliament to ensure that all health facilities implement DFF to enable them procure various items at their facilities according to their needs.
“Direct funding will reduce delays in procuring resources at the health facilities,” she said.
Jalawe Health Centre Clinical Officer-in-charge Kennedy Nyirenda said DFF has encouraged ownership of resources to help in running the facility.
Head of Programmes for AMREF-Health Africa in Malawi Madalitso Tolani said since implementation of DFF in health facilities in Rumphi District there has been improvements in health service delivery.
“As AMREF Health Africa, we are supporting the Ministry of Health to develop guidelines on how to implement DFF because this is one of the key interventions that have been highlighted in the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSS3) to be done across the country.
“They [Ministry of Health] have identified districts in the first Phase, starting with Rumphi district,” he said.
Tolani said they engaged Parliamentary Committee on Health to visit the facilities to help mobilise resources in Parliament through the Ministry of Health to help implement the programme nationwide.
“Due to inadequate funding from district councils ORT Budget some facilities fail to do even maintenance works of the facilities. DFF will address some of the challenges as the health facilities will have autonomy to make decisions on how to use their funds,” he explained.
The Parliamentary Committee on Health also visited Mzimba and Dowa Hospitals to appreciate nutritional services provision to patients.
Reported By Sarah Munthali
