Oxfam call on Scottish Govt to consider budget support to Malawi

Giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament Europe and External Affairs Committee Enquiry into International Development, the Head of Oxfam Scotland, Judith Robertson, called on the Government to consider the merits of direct budget support to the Malawian government to improve healthcare and education provision in the country.

Speaking the Scottish Parliament, Ms Robertson said: " There is a healthcare crisis in Malawi. There is one nurse for every 3,500 people and thousands of nursing posts are vacant. Given the special relationship between the two countries it is incumbent on Scotland to consider what action can be taken to make a bigger difference.

" One option, and one Oxfam would like the Scottish Government to explore, is to provide direct budget support to the Malawian Government, specifically targeted at healthcare and education for the poorest, especially those in rural areas.

" In considering budget support for public services, Oxfam believe that civil society must also be supported in order to ensure good governance and help hold governments to account.

" Some work has already been undertaken in the area of budget support by the UK Government, specifically on nurses' salaries, and the initial feedback is positive but more needs to be done.

" Increasing nurses' salaries in Malawi not only rewards the staff there who heroically serve their communities in very difficult circumstances, but helps retain staff, increase the nurse to patient ratio and therefore improve care and save lives. That is just one example of the sort of benefit budget support can bring."

Oxfam are campaigning for Governments to recruit six million more health and education workers worldwide. To join the campaign or find out more visit, www.oxfam.org.uk/forall.

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