LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Germany and Malawi have signed a EUR 16 million grant agreement (approximately MK30 billion) meant for the implementation of the third phase of the N’zatonse Program.
The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and PSI Malawi and will help to reach out to women with contraceptive services.
Speaking during the signing ceremony on Monday, February 5, 2024, German Ambassador to Malawi, Ute Konig, said the grant aims at improving the lives of rural communities in health care provisions.
Konig observes that there is a decline in Malawi women’s total fertility rate from 5.3 Children per woman on average in 2010 to 3.9.
She said Malawi made great strides in improving women’s access to contraceptives by doubling modern contraceptive rate use to 58 percent compared with women across the rest sub Saharan Africa which is at 29 percent.
In her remarks, Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo said the program will help in strengthening the condition of the services in rural areas.
Kandodo said the program will reach out to the adolescents and women by creating a conducive environment with the engagement of peer educators
She said Malawi faces several challenges that affect the delivery of quality health care particularly the Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Services (SHRS).
She further said the programme is aligned with Malawi’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights goals of 2063
Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola commended the German government for the funding saying will help people to express themselves in hospitals once they encounter SHRS problems.
Chithyola said many have been dying in silence as they used to be shy due to the environment of the health services
He therefore called upon young people to get the SHRH service to help them build their future.
The programme started in 2013 and is implemented in 10 districts Nsanje, Thyolo, Neno, Ntchisi, Blantyre, Ntcheu, Mzimba, Rumphi, Lilongwe and Machinga
