Malawi has registered a decline in new HIV infections by 73 percent between 2010 and 2022 while Aids-related deaths have gone down by 68 percent during the same period, the Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda has said.
Chiponda says that Malawi is on the right track to achieving the 95.95:95 UNAIDS treatment targets, currently at 94. 99.95 by end of June 2023.
She made the sentiments during a press briefing held ahead of the World Aids Day commemorations on Friday this week.
Malawi will yet again conduct a joint commemoration with the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial under the theme “Let communities lead by spreading love and showing solidarity in ending AIDS by 2030”.
The theme reflects the importance of embracing everyone in the fight against HIV and AIDS as the years move towards 2030, when all countries globally seek to end AIDS as a public health threat.
Kandodo Chiponda said out of an estimated one million people living with HIV in Malawi, 927,000 were alive on lifelong antiretroviral (ARV) treatment by end of June 2023.
“I would like to thank all our HIV donors, particularly PEPFAR, Global Fund, UNAIDS and all UN agencies, CHAI and many others; our implementing partners, research and academia, private sector, civil society and our health care workers. All the mentioned stakeholders have contributed to the remarkable success in the National HIV and AIDS response,” she said.
But the minister lamented that despite the successes, there still gaps, which Malawi needs to focus on.
The gaps, according to Kandodo Chiponda, include men, adolescents and children (0-14) who do not know their HIV status, adolescents and young women aged 15 and 29 years who are either into sex work or have multiple sexual partners in some high HIV burden districts.
She said the minister they are currently reaching out to them with messages on the need to get tested.
“Some pregnant and breastfeeding women who take ARVs are dropping out of care or get newly infected with HIV during breastfeeding therefore transmitting to their babies during breast feeding. We therefore need to bring these women back to care and support those at high risk of acquiring HIV with prevention services.
“Children and adolescents have lower viral load suppression rates compared to adults. We also are therefore supporting mother infant pairs and adolescents with optimal ARV regimens, adherence and psychosocial counselling services. Key and vulnerable populations such as those in sex work, still bear a higher burden of HIV. For example, female sex workers have the highest prevalence at 49.9% followed by People Who Inject Drugs at 27% respectively. Government of Malawi will continue to promote access health services for key populations through moonlighting in hot spots, drop in centres and key population friendly public health facilities,” she said.
The minister further disclosed that life expectancy among people living with HIV has gone up, but are 23 percent at risk of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and other diseases.
The committed government’s commitment to promoting the quantity of life of all people by making NCD services available to all Malawians.
She cited socio-economic, demographic, and geographic factors predictors of HIV transmission in Malawi.
“The recent sub-national estimates show that the high density is associated with higher HIV prevalence for example in cities such as Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba, compared to rural areas. This is the reason why Government of Malawi together in collaboration with stakeholders are focusing on high HIV burden districts. Nevertheless, there is hope for continued progress as both the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSPIII) and National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework promote a multisectoral and integrated and person centred approach with broader health issues and systems,” she said.
Kandodo Chiponda has since urged all Malawians to join hands in sharing social behavioural change communication such as promoting men’s testing, use of condoms, medical male circumcision, pre-exposure prophylaxis, early access to treatment when diagnosed and treatment adherence to effectively achieve viral load suppression.
This year’s national commemoration of the 2023 Joint World AIDS and International AIDS Candlelight Memorial campaign, will take place on Friday, 1st December 2023, at Kanyangale fishing community in Nkhotakota.
