Maravi

British MP calls for accountability

British MP calls for accountability
Written by Allan Mulenga in Chongwe
Wednesday, September 09, 2009 6:14:16 PM

BRITISH member of parliament Nick Herbert has urged the government to ensure that there is proper audit and accountability of aid programmes to restore international confidence.

In an interview shortly after the tour of Family Health Trust (FHT) programmes at Lwimba rural health centre in Chongwe on Monday, Herbert said the government should work towards restoring international confidence in the administration of donor funds, if the donor community was to continue funding aid programmes.

“I think the important thing is that there must be international confidence in the administration of aid programmes that is important, so that the donor counties continue to maintain the funds, and so that members of the public in those countries are continued to be supported,” he said. “That is why it is important to get it [suspension of funding] sorted out as soon as possible and, so that the donors can be confident that there is proper audit and accountability for the funds.”

Herbert, who is also All Party Parliamentary Group on Global Tuberculosis chairperson, noted that it was not the donor community’s desire to reduce funding on health programmes.

“Certainly for the point of the person, there is cross part desire to maintain the development and the support for developing countries and Zambia included. And there is no wish on our part to reduce funding, but it is important that there is proper audit and accountability,” said Herbert.

And TB Alert chief executive Mike Mandelbaum observed that TB was a big problem in the country. Mandelbaum said there was need for Zambians to recognize the difference between TB and HIV and AIDS.

“The problem of TB has been made worse because of the link between TB and HIV. And it is very important that people recognise the difference between TB and HIV, that TB is a curable disease and that is why the work of the organisations like FHT is so important because they are treatment supporters and help to educate the community and particularly that if you have TB you can be cured, and that even if you have HIV you can then continue with your Antiretroviral,” said Mandelbaum.

Labels: CORRUPTION, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, NICK HERBERT

posted by MrK @ 5:17 PM