Malawi Parliament has authorised government to obtain K22.4 billion ($80m) from the International Development Association to be used for a Nutrition and HIV and Aids Project.
Minister of Finance Dr Ken Lipenga said the money is in two categories, a grant and a loan, but will all be directed towards interventions in the project.
“The [first chunk] K12.6 billion ($45m) is a grant, but K9.8 billion ($35m) is a loan. All this money will be used for the Nutrition and HIV and Aids Project,” he said.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supported the bill, but cautioned government to make sure the resources from both the grant and loan are distributed evenly across the country.
“This is a good project and MCP fully supports it because we know how the HIV pandemic is in the country. However, there is a tendency that when Parliament passes such important bills, the money benefits few people. I believe this government will distribute the resources evenly,” said MCP Chief Whip Joseph Njobvuyalema.
Deputy leader of DPP in Parliament Jean Kalilani said her party shares the views of MCP, but asked government to allocate more resources towards nutrition to tackle the problem of wasting and stunting in people living with HIV.
