Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the health sector have petitioned Parliament seeking for a supplementary budgetary allocation of funds for purchase of Covid-19 funds.

According to the CSOs, the additional budgetary allocation is aimed at procuring the jabs that will see at least five million individuals being inoculated in the county.

Speaking to Yoneco FM, one of the petitioners who is Country Programme Manager for Aids Healthcare Foundation Treza Kakhobwe Hara said government has a responsibility of ensuring that people in the country are safe.

“We are requesting the government of Malawi to allocate a supplementary budget that should be used to procure vaccines enough to vaccinate five million individuals here in Malawi.

“As CSOs we believe in discussions so if that is not done, we will continue in discussing with government in making sure that this issue is addressed,” she said.

Upon receiving the petition, a member of the parliamentary health committee Chimwemwe Chipungu assured the CSOs that the petition will be submitted to the Speaker of the House.

“As a Member of Parliament (MP) I will relay the petition to the speaker and also speak to the minister of finance so that all that has been raised should be addressed.

“The health committee led by our chairperson will take an action because this is a very serious matter, it concerns all Malawians across the country because they are affected by this pandemic,” Chipungu said.

Meanwhile, a Covid-19 survivor who is also living with HIV Robert Manda has called upon authorities to speed up processes of procuring the Covid-19 vaccines so that people in the country receive their second jab.