WaterAid Malawi head of policy and communications Chandiwira Chisi has asked councils and partners in the Northern Region to lobby for more resources towards water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash) activities.
He said this on Saturday in Mzuzu when the organisation shared the findings of its Political Economy Analysis on Funding for Wash for Public Health and Cholera Control and Prevention in Malawi to councils and stakeholders in the North.
Chisi said resource constraints remain a huge problem to ensure every Malawian access proper Wash initiatives.
He said: “Our findings indicate that as a country, we need an annual investment of $250 million to fund Wash activities and end cholera as a public threat by 2030 but currently, we are only getting $100 million which is too little.
“This has resulted in Wash only being prioritised in urban areas while rural communities are suffering.”
On his part, Institute for Policy Research and Social Empowerment consultant Joseph Thombozi, who conducted the survey, said the findings have revealed gaps in Wash and cholera prevention, ranging from financing, allocation and coordination.
“The challenge is that there is more commitment during disasters and cholera outbreaks. We want government to fund local councils to implement preventive interventions rather than focusing on cure,” he said.
M’mbelwa District Council director of planning and development Walter Chikuni welcomed the findings, calling upon the central government to allocate more resources to the councils to manage Wash activities.
WaterAid Malawi conducted the study with support from WaterAid UK and WaterAid America.
