Health workers in Malawi's southern region, including those from Thyolo, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, and Phalombe, have halted the distribution of mosquito nets due to unpaid allowances.

The Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) and community volunteers were supposed to start the 2024 Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) mass distribution campaign but are demanding payment first. They're owed around K190,000 for a briefing and seven-day work.

According to Adrian Chikumbe, Ministry of Health spokesperson, the payment delays are caused by a system glitch at the bank used by the funding agency.

The ministry acknowledges the concerns and is working to resolve the issue, he said.

The campaign aims to distribute 11 million mosquito nets, benefiting 19.6 million people.

This is crucial, as Malawi recorded 6.4 million malaria cases and 1,670 deaths in 2023. 

Health rights activist Maziko Matemba emphasizes the need for proper planning to avoid payment delays.

The situation highlights the challenges in implementing health campaigns and the importance of timely payments to health workers, he added.