Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director Martha Kwataine has said the Capital Hill cashgate issue has compromised the delivery of health services in the country.

Kwataine was speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre on Monday on the assessment of the performance of health sector in Malawi.

She said while the health sector performed well in some areas, the general outlook was not inspiring.

“The cashgate hugely affects the health sector as some development partners pulled out their funding and since 90 percent of the health budget is dependent on donor aid, we are greatly affected,” said Kwataine.

She cited zero cases of cholera, well-coordinated immunisation activities, donations of emergency drugs as some of the achievements in the health sector in 2013.

The long list of challenges raised in the assessment included, inadequate budgetary allocation, misplaced budgetary allocations, increased drug stock-outs, slow infrastructural development, shortage of health workers and inadequate facilities.

“Some of these issues are just policy issues, but most of the challenges are linked to cashgate as they are connected to financial issues,” said Kwataine.

In her recommendations, Kwataine asked government to put in place policies to ensure equitable health services in the country.

On cashgate, she recommended the forensic audit to spread to district councils.

“The problem is that when health services are being delivered, it is the hospitals that receive them and it is appropriate to go to the grassroots and monitor whether the materials are being used for their intended purposes,” said Kwataine.