Government releases K250m for protecting people with albinism
Government has released K250 million of the K3.1 billion allocated for implementation of the National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism aimed at protecting people with albinism.
Both Association for Persons with Albinism in Malawi (Apam) president Overston Kondowe and PS for Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Erica Maganga on Thursday confirmed the release of K250 million which will be used to roll out activities towards eliminating human rights violations directed on persons with albinism.
The money is for two months and has been allocated to stakeholders, including Apam.
Maganga said with the money in place the Ministry and other stakeholders will implement activities in the plan to protect people with albinism.
She said the Ministry expects further disbursement of the money to implement the plan. She said K250 million is just part of the K3.1 billion that government committed to allocate.
“Once government starts funding it, it means there will be flow of funds. The funding will continue to come until we get all the K3.1 billion that was allocated,” said Maganga.
Kondowe hailed government’s commitment in releasing the funds but said there is need for good financial management so that activities are implemented and yield results. He said releasing of funds is a good start in fighting for protection of people with albinism.
He said the association will also ensure that all institutions that have been allocated funds should account for the money. He said institutions will have to report on what the money has been used for, adding that Apam will also have representatives in all activities to being carried out using the funds.
“We are also encouraging that in institutions where there are qualified persons with albinism, they should be assigned as desk officers so that we safe guard the funds and be able to make reports,” said Kondowe.
He said Apam on its part has been allocated K22 million and intends to use its allocation to build capacity of its structures so that they are able to lobby for inclusion of persons with albinism in several government programs starting from ward level to national level.
