Current Events in Malawi

Malawi to Launch New Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Project

 

The principal secretary of the Malawian Department of Nutrition and HIV/AIDS, Edith Mkawa, announced during a conference Monday, February 25, 2013 that Malawi is set to launch a new five-year Nutrition and HIV/AIDS program February 28, 2013. President Joyce Banda will preside over the function at Bingu International Conference Center.

The new program will focus largely on the reduction of childhood stunting, childhood and maternal anemia, and the prevention of HIV. Mkawa stated that while Malawi has made significant improvements on reducing HIV transmission rates, its prevalence rate still remains among the highest in the world, making prevention a priority. Some of the most recent statistics show about 900,000 to 1,000,000 people of all ages living with HIV in Malawi. (UNICEF)

Child stunting is an issue that is caused by under-nutrition that poses a large threat in Malawi. Those who suffer from it live with poor physical health throughout their lives and damaged cognitive abilities that limit their capacity to learn and earn a decent income. (CNN)

“Malawi has made significant gains in child survival and maternal health, but no significant improvements have been made so far on child survival and stunting. Stunting also has long term effects on cognitive development, school achievement, and maternal reproductive outcomes,” Mkawa explained.  

It is hoped that the implementation of this project will reduce levels of HIV transmission in both children and adults in addition to reducing stunting levels. Changing these statistics would greatly improve the overall welfare of the country. 

World Bank Lending to Malawi By Volume (in USD Millions)

Funding for this program is being provided by the World Bank, with the US providing about 80 million dollars in funding. About 50 million will go towards HIV and AIDS programming while 30 million will assist in the child nutrition portion of the program. Other money will come from Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). About 60% of this money is a grant, while 40% is a loan. 

Story link:

http://www.nyasatimes.com/2013/02/25/malawi-to-launch-nutrition-hiv-and-aids-project/

  

Current Events in Malawi

Current Events in Malawi

 

Nurses' Strike Causes Tension in Malawi

The Health Services in Malawi, within the past week, have experienced several disturbances by nurses and staff members of public hospitals and health facilities. These civil servants are threatening to strike if government does not address issues presented to them. Hospital and health employees are asking for an increased salary to meet the rising costs of living in Malawi, as well as improved working conditions. The Civil Servants Trade Union has asked other “essential services” to join in this strike, which could affect the ninety percent of Malawians that use public hospitals and medical facilities. Even without the current tensions, medical attention is spread thin within Malawi. According to the World Health Organization, as of May 2012, there are only 2 physicians and 38 nurses per 100,000 populations.

The Government of Malawi, however, seems confident that the two parties can reach “mutually satisfactory resolutions,” according to an Education Ministry official. Yet these civil servants have gained the support of the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM), who said they would join the protest if these needs were not met within the next week. 

Nyasa Times story

WHO Stats on Malawi

Education Bill Opposition: Parliament Calls for More Scrutiny

Earlier this week, Parliament was presented with the Education Bill, which introduced free and compulsory primary education throughout Malawi, more teachers to match the increasing demand of education, and advocated the creation and implementation of education councils to regulate education systems as well as manage and run schools. Despite its positive attitude towards Malawi’s education system, a majority of Parliament opposed the Bill.

While this initiative was appreciated by Parliament, members emphasized the need for “infrastructure development” and acquiring educational materials to accommodate a compulsory education system. Adequate resources to support and sustain improvements suggested in the Education Bill must be addressed first. One Member of Parliament (MP) stated on Monday that how education is provided should be addressed first, with a special emphasis on infrastructure, accessibility, and measures for parents to send their children to school. Other concerns included the potential of regional councils to negatively affect the national standards without proper oversight.

Further discussion of the bill is to take place this week and if passed, will replace the 1962 Education Act.

Nyasa Times story