By Mercy Matonga:
President Lazarus Chakwera has described the Global Fund as a valuable partner for Malawi.
Chakwera said this Tuesday at the launch of the 52nd Global l Board Meeting which is taking place in Lilongwe.
He said that Malawians had been able to access free medical services in public hospitals due to the partnership between Malawi and the Global Fund.
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“Over the past few years, every time a Malawian who has HIV, tuberculosis (TB), or malaria has walked into a public health facility and found that we had just the help they needed, it was because of our partnership with the Global Fund.
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“Between 2020 and 2023, whenever a Malawian who had Covid walked into a treatment centre, walked out [and] recovered to return to their family, it was because of our partnership with the Global Fund,” Chakwera said.
The President further said over the years, Malawi had faced various disasters and outbreaks, with the Global Fund playing a crucial role in helping the country mitigate the impacts..
On her part, Global Fund Board Chairperson Roslyn Morauta said there was a need to join hands to defeat HIV, TB and malaria.
She said despite that countries were facing challenges such as conflicts and natural disasters, significant progress had been made in addressing critical health issues.
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In his remarks, Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention Director General Jean Kaseya said there was a need for African countries to demonstrate commitment by implementing health programmes.
He said it was crucial for African countries to start supporting African countries that are engaged in the manufacturing of essential drugs.
“We have countries in Africa that are manufacturing pharmaceutical equipment, including medicine, and if countries support them, we can also help to develop these countries too,” Kaseya said.
Kaseya further expressed concern over the fact that when diseases strike, Africa often waits for external vaccines, despite having the capacity to develop its own medicines
The meeting is expected to host over 300 delegates from around the world, including
leaders, global health advocates and key stakeholders in the fight against these epidemics.
