MALWI: Economist Challenges Role Of Donor Funding In Africa’s Health Systems

By Smile Hamilton, Malawi

An economist has raised qritical questions about the long-term impact of donor aid on Africa’s health systems, arguing that foreign assistance may be doing more harm than good.

Speaking on the second day of the National Health Promotion Conference, Murray Siyasiya of the Malawi Institute of Journalism presented a paper titled “Can African Health Systems Thrive Without USAID? Examining Malawi.”

In his address, Siyasiya contended that decades of donor support, particularly from organizations such as USAID, have not yielded substantial improvements in health outcomes across the continent.

He warned that reliance on donor funding is often linked to declining transparency and weakened governance in recipient countries. “In many cases, donor-driven programs bypass national systems and dilute accountability,” he said.

Siyasiya also pointed to troubling trends in Malawi’s own health financing, suggesting that government spending is marred by inefficiencies and potential corruption. He called for greater scrutiny and reforms to ensure public funds were used effectively.

The presentation sparked lively discussion among conference delegates, with many agreeing on the urgent need to shift toward more sustainable, locally led health financing strategies.