VP hits Cham members on accountability
Vice-President Khumbo Kachali says Christian Health Association of Malawi (Cham) institutions should be accountable in the use of government and donor funds.
Kachali said this on Friday when he presided over the graduation of 48 students from Ekwendeni College of Health Science of the Livingstonia CCAP Synod. The graduates were awarded diplomas in nursing and midwifery.
The Vice-President was reacting to concerns from Cham institutions that government funding is unreliable.
The institutions complained that some government officers cling to funding even after Parliament, the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health have approved disbursement of the money.
According to Kachali, Cham institutions have a big problem accounting for government and donor money.
“On erratic funding, both government and Cham institutions are to blame. Government uses public resources and donor money to fund the institutions, but when it comes to accountability there is a very big problem for Cham institutions.
“When we ask you to account, Cham should give the right figures and on time. It is public and donor money and has to be accounted for,” he said.
Cham executive director Rose Ng’oma yesterday attributed the problem of accountability to lack of capacity in financial management.
She said Cham is training its members to improve in the area.
Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences board chairperson Dr Douglas Lungu said erratic funding is affecting the operations of the college and other stakeholders.
Lungu said it is high time government took to task officers who paralyse the disbursement of funding to Cham institutions.
He said such officers do not appreciate the value of health personnel to the country.
“There is always funding approved by Parliament, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health, but the processing officers do not appreciate the need for training the nurses,” said Lungu.
