Program Manager for White Ribbon Alliance Malawi Maziko Matemba has urged government yesterday at Citizen-led accountability- multi stakeholder dialogue to embrace the accountability in its health development agenda if the country is to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for prosperity.
Both WRA Manager and Health Right Education Program Director he recommends the SDGs negotiation, particularly Goal Three: Ensure healthy live and promote well-being for all ages, And the need for government to account for its service delivery and work together with the opposition.He said government should regard the role of the opposition as not opposing the state but providing direction as well as checks and balances to the administration for accountability.
“This is an opportunity for us to meet the targets of SDGs Goal Three which are of particular relevance to women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health. The targets are; by 2030 Malawi need to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio less than 70 per 100, 000, end preventable deaths of newborns and under-five children, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and achieve universal health coverage”, he lamented.
Program Manager for Kalondolondo program Jephter Mwanza bemoaned the government for using chiefs in grass-root politics saying let chiefs do there work, they are not politicians it compromise the country’s development.
“Meanwhile, time has come for us to build and renew faith in our politics and to provide sound leadership based on the principles of consensus, equity, accountability and inclusiveness. We must foster prosperity to eradicate poverty so that we can have equity in health sector”, he said.
Inkosi Mponela expressed worries that the incentives chiefs receive from the governing government influence them not to account the authorities on issues of nation importance like health hence resulting poor quality in the system.
Malawi failed to embrace and meet the targets of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) despite being early adopter to views displayed by stakeholders during the interface meeting. Is Malawi being able to achieve goals of SDGs? In a democracy, it is vital for the Opposition, Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and Citizens to holder government to account for the promises that have been made and the trust people have placed in it, if Malawi is to meet SDGs target.
