The United Kingdom’s (UK) decision to cut foreign aid to sectors such as health to 11 countries, including Malawi, puts the country at risk as funding to the area is largely dependent on donors.
The decision by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) comes at a time Malawi is yet to recover from the K400 billion aid cut by the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).
FCDO has cut aid towards the Ending Preventable Deaths Support Programme, a key component targeting women, newborn babies and children.
Malawi is among 11 countries where this project is being implemented and an equality impact assessment by the FCDO which we have seen, fears that slashing aid spending will likely see global deaths rise.
In an email response yesterday, acting UK High Commissioner to Malawi Rebecca Fabrizi said the UK’s global Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme budget will be £8.7 billion in 2025/26, compared to £9.3 billion in 2024/25.
She said the gradual reduction allows the UK to focus on priorities of tackling humanitarian, health and climate crises, underpinned by economic development and to exit programmes responsibly over the course of the coming year.
Said Fabrizi: “Ministers are conducting a line-by-line strategic review of our ODA programming, including our spend in countries like Malawi. The UK is a responsible aid partner and we will discuss changes with the Government of Malawi in due course.
“The UK remains committed to playing a significant role in international development as the Government implements its modernised approach to development.”
Reacting to the development, International Coalition on Health Financing Advocacy chairperson Maziko Matemba said for Malawi, where over 55 percent of total health expenditure comes from donors, such aid cuts spelt doom.
He said the UK, whose support towards health in Malawi was at 26 percent, focused more on sexual and reproductive health services while US government concentrated on HIV and other programmes.
Said Matemba: “The UK government has also been providing support to major donors for Malawi like the Global Fund and Gavi Vaccine Alliance. While funding is still being channelled to these institutions, it is also facing cuts.
“This cut will, thus, affect provision of vaccines, but also essential commodities like family planning. We need to invest in communities to ensure that we prevent more diseases from occurring.”
Health financing specialist Norah Mwase, an economics lecturer at the University of Malawi, said the planned reduction in UK aid combined with ongoing cuts from USAid, will create an aggregate shortfall of roughly £150 million for Malawi.
She said: “Stock-outs of essential medicines are projected to increase in the next six months. Suspension or scaling down of community-based interventions is expected.
“Delays in procurement and maintenance of medical equipment, affecting over 30 district hospitals that rely on donor-funded capital investments, are inevitable.”
Mwase called for a steering committee, which includes representatives from the ministries of Health and Finance, civil society, and development partners to oversee resource mobilisation and ensure alignment with health priorities.
“Implement targeted ‘sin taxes’ on tobacco and alcohol, which could generate an additional £20 million annually for health. One percent levy on mobile money transactions could generate up to £10 million per year,” she suggested.
Universal Health Coverage Coalition chairperson George Jobe urged several taxes towards health, including a percentage from toll-gates and carbon tax and health contribution fee on fizzy drinks.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe was yet to respond by press time.
Malawi Government requires $31.2 billion (K54.1 trillion) to implement the Health Sector Strategic Plan III (HSSP III), which aims to build strong and holistic health systems from to 2030.
However, funding modalities put implementation of the plan at risk and eventual failure to achieve its objectives, as it shows that the country may only find $4.7 billion (about K8.1 trillion) out of the total required amount by 2030.
