The Norwegian government has pledged to support the country's ailing health sector to improve access to quality essential services and strengthening the healthcare systems.

Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi Anne Sofie Bjelland said this in Lilongwe on Monday during the signing of a 34.1 billion Kwacha bilateral grant agreement with the Malawi government for financing the Health Services Joint Fund.

"We know that Malawi faces a persistent burden in addressing some key challenges in the health sector hence coming in with the grant that is set to scale up health coverage," she added.

Minister of Finance Joseph Mwanamveka and minister of Health Madalitso Baloyi are  upbeat, the grant will assist in fulfilling Health Sector Strategic Plan III objectives.

According to Mwanamvekha the initiative taken by Norway also re-affirms its multi-donor Trust Funds for Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods and the Malawi Food Resilience Project also known as AGCOM.

"We have also been assisted with about $3.8million, approximately K6.7 billion for School Feeding Programme being also supported also by WFP is set to reach out to
141,087 primary school children across 123 schools to improve healthy and diverse diets that support improved learning and attendance while also enhancing food security," he added.

This year alone the Norwegian Government has contributed 55.7 billion (approximately $31.8USD) of which K34.1 billion is for the Health Service Joint Fund and K22.9 billion will be channeled towards Food Security Programmes.