By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, October 10, Mana: HIV and AIDS Malawi Partnership Forum (MPF) has commended Dowa district for strides being made in paediatric HIV response and integration of HIV and AIDS related interventions.

National AIDS Commission (NAC) Director of HIV and AIDS Programmes, Chimwewe Mablekisi, made the remarks in an interview during a joint visit to Dowa District Hospital and Madisi Mission Hospital, ahead of the 2023/2024 Joint Annual Review of the Health Sector and National Response to HIV and AIDS.

She said as a platform that annually reports, takes stock of progress and appreciates challenges and lessons learnt in the health sector including HIV Programming.

"We meet at the central level and only get reports. So, this visit was for the MPF to have a hands on feeling of what is happening on the ground on HIV response, particularly paediatric HIV response and integration of HIV and AIDS to other health services like Sexual Reproductive Health Rights and mental health.

"Dowa is one of the districts that is doing very well in pediatric HIV response, in case finding, initiating children on treatment and ensuring that viral load tests are taken and results are provided in good time," she said.

However, Mablekisi, noted the need to increase number of HTS counsellors and train more health workers to provide STI and HIV testing and related services in the district.

Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Dr Nertha Semphere Mgala, encouraged male involvement in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and also to fight the stigma surrounding Antiretroviral Therapy to improve drug adherence.

She called for pediatric HIV response for a multi-sectoral approach towards HIV and AIDS response.

"The fight against HIV and AIDS is not a one-sector fight; we cannot win like that. We need all sectors to be actively involved and collaborate if we are to make progress," she said.

Dowa District Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Dr Mallen Machika, said of the almost million people in the district, only two percent are living with HIV and AIDS.

She said the positivity yield after testing is also less than two percent.

Machika said this has been achieved because of interventions targeting the reduction of transmission.

"If we have undetectable levels, where the viral load of HIV positive patients is suppressed, we will minimize the chances of transmission.

"This is something we also thrive on in the prevention of mother to child transmission programme. An HIV positive pregnant woman adhering to drugs lowers her viral load, therefore the child to be born is less likely to get infected. This results in very few vertical transmissions," she said.