This year, 168 health facilities under the Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) have signed service level agreement (SLA) contracts with the government.

CHAM's Executive Director, Happy Makala, told Zodiak Online on Sunday that these contracts will enable over 5 million people to access free medical care at CHAM facilities in rural areas where public hospitals are absent.

Makala explained that the contracts primarily benefit pregnant women and children under five.

"There has been a longstanding memorandum of understanding (MoU) between CHAM and the government, and one of its components is the service level agreement," Makala said.

Meanwhile, health rights activist Maziko Matemba has praised the government for this initiative, noting that it aligns with Malawi's commitment to universal health coverage.

Matemba emphasized the importance of SLAs, given that many rural areas lack public hospitals offering free services.

"As organizations advocating for universal health coverage in the country, we believe this is a significant step forward. The signing of the contracts is timely," Matemba stated.

In addition to signing service level agreements, the government of Malawi also provides salaries for CHAM employees.