The Maravi Post

BLANTYRE--The National Aids Commission (NAC) says Malawi is registering success on zero HIV infections campaign as only 50 000 people get infected every year. The figures have dropped from 70 000 as of last year.

NAC disclosed this during an annual review meeting of the national response to HIV and AIDS in Lilongwe Tuesday. Mara Kumbweza Banda, NAC Board Chairperson, said in the 27 years Malawi has had the pandemic, the country has registered progress in combating the scourge.

She however noted that new infections remain the challenge. “The big question now is how do we get to zero new infections? I feel there is need to think again about our prevention initiatives. These initiatives must be evidence based and well targeted.

“In 2011 to 2012 alone, 1.2 million people came forward for HIV testing and counseling. We have scaled up antiretroviral therapy such that as of march 2012, we had about 350 000 clients ever initiated on ART,” explained Banda.

She asked for more collective efforts in the fight against the pandemic. “The response to HIV infection can ‘t succeed in Malawi or anywhere else in the world if we are not taking action and making an individual and a collective effort top address through our innovations and efforts the more pervasive inequities that threaten to undermine the goals we seek to attain,” she added.

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