Kitwe stakeholders push for 5% CDF allocation to health financing by 2026

Stakeholders in Kitwe have resolved to allocate five percent of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to health financing by 2026.

The resolution is aimed at fostering more equitable and sustainable investment in public health amid looming donor budget cuts.

This is according to a communique released after a weekend meeting organized by the Church Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) and ALEJO Community Support Project under the initiative Strengthening Immunization through Domestic Financing and Strategic Partnerships.

“Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Councillors, CDF Chairpersons, Technical Appraisal Committees, and other stakeholders have pledged to advocate for a minimum five percent allocation from the CDF to health financing starting in 2026,” the communique stated.

It added that the move was guided by the National Decentralization Policy (2023), the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, the Devolution Implementation Plan, and CDF guidelines aligned with the Eighth National Development Plan (8th NDP), the National Budget, the National Health Policy, and the National Immunization Strategy.

Stakeholders emphasized that decentralization of governance in Zambia had entrusted WDCs with a key mandate, stressing that health was foundational to economic productivity, educational attainment, and community resilience.

They noted that the commitment was expected to catalyze a shift in how local development priorities were structured and financed. By aligning WDCs, Councillors, CDF Chairpersons, and Technical Appraisal Committees within a shared framework, the pledge signaled a strategic step towards sustainable public health investment.

The proposed allocation would prioritize immunization services in CDF planning and disbursement, support health facilities with cold chain equipment such as solar-powered vaccine fridges to mitigate the impact of load shedding, and provide transport such as motorbikes to improve outreach services.

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