Yes No Partial Additional information X 4. Copies of reports, policies or programmes? 5. Information on budget and expenditure? X 6. Information about procurement procedures or signed contracts? X 7. Information about vacancy and employment procedures? X 8. The address, telephone number, and working hours of the organisation? 9. The contact details of specific public officials? X Working hours not provided. X 10. A mechanism to request and receive responses to electronic messages and requests for information? Total score: 11/20 CATEGORY 2: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION A request for the following information was sent to the Ministry of Health and Population: The government announced it needed $194 million to fund its National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. How much of this amount has been raised? How many COVID-19 testing centers does Malawi have? Are private health centers allowed to test people for COVID-19? If yes, are those tests considered in the daily COVID-19 updates released by the Ministry of Health? What are the ministry’s plans to scale up COVID-19 testing and information dissemination? Does Malawi have enough financial and material resources for frontline health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic? y y y y y n = 20 Yes No X 1. Is there an official, who is designated to take and respond to information requests? 2. Did the organisation reply within 21 days? X 3. Did the organisation respond to the request for information? X 4. Does the organisation publish their procedures for handling information requests? X 5. Did the organisation provide all of the requested information? X 6. Did the organisation provide written reasons for the refusal of information? X 7. Did the organisation disclose information about its operations, budgets, structure, etc. X 8. Did the authority provide information without questioning the aims and motivations of the applicant? X 9. Did the organisation acknowledge the request for information within 7 days? Partial Additional information Principal Public Relations Officer X 10. Was the information received clear and understandable? X Total score: 4/20 RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE 73 MALAWI n = 20