Malawi\'s Health SWAp: Bringing essential services closer to the poor?

Abstract

The Government of Malawi has committed itself to reaching the poor with effective health services. The Government agreed to implement ‘The Essential Health Package\', re-affirmed its\' commitment to provide essential health services free of charge and undertook to monitor the new health Sector Wide Approach on its performance in reaching the poor. In August 2005, five papers were commissioned by the Equity and Access Sub-group of the Ministry of Health Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Working Group. The overarching recommendation arising from these analyses is the need to bring essential services much closer to the poor– not only in geographical proximity, but also affordability, cultural acceptability, and epidemiological relevance. The call is not to change policy, but rather to ensure its more energetic and effective implementation. Malawi Medical Journal Vol. 18 (1) 2006: pp. 1-4