World Bank Regional Practice director Daniel Dulitzky has said Malawi, like any other country, needs to have robust health systems to be prepared for emerging health issues such as Covid-19.
Speaking in Lilongwe yesterday during the launch of the World Bank-funded K103.2 billion Malawi Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Project aimed at addressing existing gaps in the health system, he said it was important to avoid gaps exposed in the fight against Covid-19 and cholera.
“Crises such as Covid-19 and cholera have demonstrated that preparedness is vital, as a vibrant health system, it is always good to be ready to detect, respond and build mechanisms for resilience to such pandemics,” said Dilitzky.
In her remarks, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the project will strengthen health systems through essential interventions that bolster technical capacities, financial mechanisms and health workforce capabilities.
She said the project is also expected to improve technical capacity for specimen transportation and diagnostics, real time surveillance and emergency financing mechanisms as well as effective risk communication.
Said Chiponda: “Let me emphasise that we need to improve healthcare quality during emergencies, ensure basic services, close gender gaps and enhance health infrastructure.”
The World Bank has funded several health projects in the country, including the Malawi Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project and the Malawi Health Sector Support Project.
The new project is designed to detect such pandemics before they occur and offer ready mechanisms of response and coping mechanisms.
