Africa-Press – Malawi. Southern African Trust Regional Executive Director Jonathan Gunthorp has lauded Southern African Development Community (Sadc) health ministers for adopting a Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights scorecard.
He said the tool would help Sadc member states track progress of regional development tools as well as Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs). Last week, health ministers, who were meeting in Malawi, adopted the scorecard as one way of ensuring that there is progress in sexual reproductive health promotional efforts.
After the adoption of the scorecard, Sadc member states are expected to report results, based on the scorecard, annually, with those that fail to do so being made to account for their actions or lack of it.
Malawi’s Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, who spoke during the launch of the scorecard in Lilongwe, called on member states to make use of data when rating their performance on the card.
“The success of the scorecard will depend on member states’ commitment,” Kandodo Chiponda said.
The development has elated Gunthorp, who said Sadc member states would no longer have an excuse for failing to perform their expected role in promoting sexual reproductive health and rights.
“We actually expect governments to increase budgetary allocations to the health sector, particularly to areas related to sexual reproductive health and rights, for us to meet Universal Health Coverage goals by 2024,” Gunthorp said.
The Sadc scorecard is a high-level peer review accountability tool for tracking progress made in achieving the Sadc regional strategy for sexual reproductive health and rights from 2019 to 2030 and SDGs. The card consists of 20 key indicators, which are used for tracking progress in meeting the 10 outcomes of the strategy.
For More News And Analysis About Malawi Follow Africa-Press
