LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The planned reduction of United Kingdom development assistance to Malawi could affect progress made in the health sector, National Coordinator for Malawi SRHR Alliance, Hastings Saka, has warned.
Saka said Malawi’s health sector remains heavily dependent on donor support and is already struggling to meet the 15 percent Abuja Declaration target on government budget allocation to health.
He was reacting to the UK Government’s announcement that it will reduce its official development assistance to Malawi by up to 90 percent by the 2028/29 financial year.
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Annual Report and Accounts 2025–2026, UK support to Malawi is expected to fall from £50.2 million in the 2025/26 financial year to £20 million in 2026/27, before declining further to £10 million in 2027/28 and £5 million in 2028/29.
Saka said the funding reduction could negatively affect key health programmes, including HIV and AIDS response, maternal health, and family planning initiatives.
“The FCDO budget cut will worsen health outcomes and could water down the gains Malawi has made in HIV and AIDS, maternal mortality reduction and family planning, among other areas,” Saka said.
He urged government to fully implement the 2023–2030 National Health Financing Strategy, which seeks to reduce dependence on external donors by strengthening domestic health financing and supporting the achievement of Universal Health Coverage.
The UK Government says the aid reductions are part of wider fiscal adjustments aimed at increasing defence spending and reshaping its international development approach.
The FCDO report further indicates that future UK support will focus on strengthening systems, promoting local leadership, and providing expertise rather than relying mainly on traditional grant-based assistance.
The UK has been one of Malawi’s major development partners, supporting programmes in health, education, governance and economic development.
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