Malawi VP Kachali tells CHAM institutions to be accountable
Vice President Khumbo Kachali has asked Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) institutions to always properly account for the money they get from government and donors if the problem of delayed funding is to be dealt with.
Kachali made the sentiments Friday during the Seventh Nurses and Midwifery Technician Congregation at Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences in Mzimba where he was guest of honour.
The Vice President was responding to concerns raised by the college’s Board Chair, Dr Douglas Lungu who accused officers that process funding to CHAM institutions of lacking seriousness in ensuring timely disbursement of funds to the institutions. He said the delay negatively affects the school calendar.
“The funding is guaranteed by the government budget but it is the officers responsible for processing the funding that don’t understand the importance of nurses in the country.
“I, therefore, ask your honour to do something about it because it’s not that funding doesn’t come, [but] that it comes three months late, almost always,” Lungu said.
In response, Kachali said much as the delay may be blamed on government officers, CHAM institutions also share the blame.
“We, as government, use public resources [and] donor money. But when it comes to accountability, we seem to have a few challenges with CHAM institutions.
“What I can ask you is that every time when we ask you to liquidate what we have given you, give us the reports in good time,” Kachali said
However, he said, Government has taken note of the concern that its officers are also to blame.
“But you also need to pull up your socks that when we are asking for liquidation, I repeat, give us the right figures.
“Ka ku chalichi nako tingatuma external auditor ngati?” [Can we send an external auditor to a church?] he wondered, saying government relies on the reports the church institutions send.
Kachali said the CHAM institutions have to be accountable because the funding they get is public and donor money.
He, however, thanked Ekwendeni College of Health Sciences and other CHAM institutions for heeding government call to increase intake so as to reduce the deficit of nurses in the country’s health delivery system.
The VP also thanked the Norwegian Government through the Norwegian Church Aid for the support they give to CHAM institutions through improved infrastructure, teaching and training materials and students exchange programmes, among others.
He also thanked the Synod of Livingstonia for establishing the institution. He noted that it was the churches that started training nurses before government had come up with its own training institutions.
Kachali then congratulated the graduating students and urged them to make a difference wherever they go.
“Be kind to your patients and guardians. It is sad to hear that some health personnel are very rude to their patients,” Kachali said.
During the ceremony, 48 nurses were awarded with Technician Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery and 14 were males and 34 were females.
One student, Tchiyiwe Jere, passed with credit and was awarded K200, 000 by the Vice-President and his wife Mrs. Martha Kachali.
In an interview, Jere attributed her success to hard work and trust in God.
Among the high profiled guests that graced the function was the deputy minister of Health, Agnes Mandebvu Chatipwa, and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Charles Mwansambo and Executive Director for CHAM Rose Ngoma.
Also in attendance was Inkosi ya Makosi Mbelwa V, Moderator for Livingstonia CCAP Synod, Rev. Dr Timothy Nyasulu, Secretary of Livingstonia, Synod Rev. Levi Nyondo and Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Livingstonia, Rev. Howard Matiya Nkhoma.--Malawi News Agency
