The aim of the field visit this week was to start the second month of distribution of supplemental essential drugs and medical supplies, and to start the recapitalization process for the Malawi Central Medical Stores.
The visit was a part of the visibility plan for the 33 UDS million project financed by Germany, the UK and Norway. UNICEF is responsible for procurement while USAID/Deliver manages the distribution. The project is a response from these development partners to an appeal from the Government of Malawi which was issued in July 2011. The request came due to a severe lack of essential medicines and supplies in the health sector in 2011. The arrival and distribution of drugs and supplies during the two first months in 2012 is a result of this request. The aim of this Emergency Drug Procurement project is to help address critical shortages of essential drugs at health centre level all over Malawi the next 18 months.
The drugs and supplies are pre-packed by UNICEF and delivered as kits. The first batch of arrived in Malawi on the 6th of January 2012 and DFIDs country representative, Sarah Sanyahumbi, noted the following in her speech on that ceremony: “We (the donor community) recognize the importance of this project in protecting and saving lives of Malawians who are most in need of these essential drugs and supplies, particularly in rural and remote areas.”
The donor community is confident that this support will make a difference and the support should be seen in relation to Malawi's attainment of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. The medicines and supplies will enable health authorities to treat up to 1.5 million episodes of diarrhea, 1 million episodes of acute respiratory infections, and 264 000 episodes of malaria during the 18 month period. These three diseases account for more than half of all child deaths in Malawi. In addition, up to 600 000 pregnant women will be supplied with micro nutrient supplements and medication to enable them to have a safer delivery in a health facility.