Health-Related Baseline Millennium Development Goals Indicators for Local Authorities in Malawi

The Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF) is implementing a 12 year programme to close service gaps in rural communities. These service gaps are primarily those in health; education; household food security; water and sanitation; transport and communications. The impact indicators of the Project are selected Millennium Development Goal indicators. MASAF conducted a baseline study of the MDG indicators for all districts in Malawi. This paper presents available health related MDG baseline indicators for all districts in Malawi. Other stakeholders implementing health interventions could use these baseline indicators for planning purposes

Framework for Monitoring Equity in Access and Health Systems Issues in ART Programmes in Southern Africa

Universal provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART); while feasible; is expensive. In light of this limitation; the World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched the 3 x 5 initiative; to provide ART to 3 million people by the end of the year 2005. In Southern Africa; large-scale provision of ART will likely be achieved through fragile public health systems. ART programmes should therefore be developed and expanded in ways that will not aggravate inequities or result in the inappropriate withdrawal of resources from other health interventions or from other parts of the health system. This paper; proposes a framework for monitoring equity in access and health systems issues in ART programmes in Southern Africa. It proposes that an equity monitoring system should comprise seven thematic areas. These thematic areas encompass a national monitoring system which extends beyond one agency or single data collection method. Together with monitoring of targets in terms of numbers treated; there should also be monitoring of health systems impacts and issues in ART expansion; with reporting both nationally and to a regional body