Ministry of Health has Thursday said it has plans to establish health fund to support health service delivery in the country as one of its part of performance reform.
Speaking in Lilongwe, Minister of Health Dr. Jean Kalilani said her ministry has no intention to introduce user fee in public hospitals, but they want to find means of bringing extra funds to improve health service delivery.
Kalilani said, “There are four main areas of reform that my ministry is undertaken in order to contribute towards the ongoing public sector reforms.
“I am also aware that the contents of the reforms for my ministry have not been made widely public yet though they are currently being discussed within the health sector.”
She added that a number of studies have also been undertaken both within and outside the country that have pointed to the need and importance of setting up such fund to support health service delivery.
Kalilani also said a task force has been set up to review relevant literature and experiences around this subject internally and externally and eventually to advise on the specifics of funds in terms of sources of funds, organization structure and operating principles.
“Another area of reform is to visualize medical insurance scheme in the country. Our plan is to have many people on medical insurance scheme that will ensure all those with medical insurances ably access fee paying health services across the country,” explained Kalilani.
She said this will also help to decongest public hospitals as some people will opt for fee paying services.
Kalilani further said there will also be hospital operation reform which looks at three separate components which are making all Central hospitals autonomous and independent so that they have independent oversight bodies in form board of directors.
Then second one is to have the management of District Health Services separated from the management of District Hospitals and to have non-core services in public hospitals delinked from core services of hospitals so that non-core services are run in partnership with Public Private Partnership (PPPs)
The ministry will also review the partnership with Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) as its fourth part of reform.
“The ministry is proposing review of the current arrangement between the ministry and CHAM. The current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) dates back 2002,” she said.
Kalilani then said there is a need to take into account some of the emerging issues that have taken place in the country such as the passing into law of the new Act of PPPs which is the bases of arrangement between the ministry and CHAM.
The Minister signed a performance of agreement on 11th February 2015 with President Professor Peter Mutharika. These reforms are expected to be rolled out by July 2016.
