Family planning supplies safe despite USD3.5 million funding gap

Malawians relying on family planning services have received reassurance that they will not face immediate shortages, despite a funding gap that has raised concerns over future supplies.

Health Minister Madalitso Baloyi has assured Malawians that the country has sufficient stocks of family planning commodities despite concerns over a US$3.5 million funding gap that could affect future supplies.

Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Baloyi said there are currently no shortages of family planning commodities in public health facilities, even as Malawi navigates declining donor support for key health programmes.

The assurance came after Mwanza West MP Maurine Nseula sought an update on the government’s financial commitments under the UNFPA Supplies Partnership Compact. She questioned whether the government had released its required 25 percent domestic contribution to unlock matching support from UNFPA and help close the funding gap.

Baloyi: we have enough stock

In response, Baloyi said the government remains committed to financing family planning commodities and ensuring Malawi does not lose access to matching funds from UNFPA.

She explained that in the previous financial year, government budgeted K750 million for family planning commodities but managed to provide K250 million, which UNFPA matched with an equal amount.

“For this budget, we have included K1 billion for family planning commodities, and a request has already been submitted to Treasury. We are waiting to see how much will be released so that UNFPA can match the amount. We are also procuring additional family planning commodities through the Presidential Initiative on Maternal Health, so there is no stockout,” Baloyi said.

She added that the ministry is working to ensure Malawi secures the available UNFPA matching funds while maintaining uninterrupted access to life-saving maternal and reproductive health commodities across the country.