UK aid will provide sexual and reproductive health services for more than 300,000 Malawians

Thousands of more women in Malawi will benefit from family planning services through new support announced by Minister for Africa Harriett Baldwin on August 15.

During a visit to the Scotland Malawi Partnership in Edinburgh, Ms. Baldwin set out how the six-year programme, called Tsogolo Langa which translates as ‘My Future’, will provide important sexual and reproductive health services for more than 300,000 Malawians and avoid an estimated 6,000 preventable maternal deaths.

“Every woman has a right to a happy and healthy life. This is about empowering women to take control of their own health and their own futures. Malawi’s long-term success matters to the UK. That is why I am proud UK aid is supporting these vital services for hundreds of thousands of young Malawians, allowing them to make decisions on their families and futures in a safe and informed way,” Ms. Baldwin said.

UK aid will provide access to modern contraceptives, help clinics from running out of stock and provide accurate health information for women in harder to reach rural areas. It will also work with young people to reduce teenage pregnancies and prevent unwanted pregnancies.

The Department for International Development (DFID) will work with the Government of Malawi’s Ministry of Health to deliver the programme, supporting the country’s aim to reduce its high teenage pregnancy rate.

“This assistance is very timely as Malawi continues to further stabilise its population growth that is driven by teenage pregnancy, currently standing at 29%,” Minister of Health and Population for the Government of Malawi, Atupele Muluzi said.

DFID’s family planning support in the world’s poorest countries is helping women finish their education, get better jobs, fulfill their potential and in turn provide for their smaller planned families.

This latest support comes after Ms. Baldwin’s visit to Malawi last month during which she announced £37.5 million of new UK aid funding to support early grade learning and keep more girls in school. Ms. Baldwin also visited Majete National Park to see how the UK is supporting efforts to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

Original source: DFID
Published on 15 August 2018