An International Research
Consortium to Maximise
Benefits & Equity of HIV
Treatment & Care Systems

The results of a country-wide survey of HIV/AIDS services in Malawi for the year 2006 were released in July 2007, showing a significant increase in the number of patients tested for HIV in 2006 compared to previous years, and a large increase in the number of patients initiating ART. The survey was carried out by Evidence for Action partner Lighthouse, along with the national HIV Unit and CDC Malawi.

Background 

With an estimated HIV prevalence of 12% among adults (15-49 years) in 2006, Malawi is
one of the worst affected African countries. Approximately 1 million people in Malawi live with the virus and over 500,000 children have lost at least one parent due to AIDS. Every year over 85,000 people lose their lives to AIDS. Though more than 80,000 people had started antiretroviral therapy as of the end of 2006, there remains an unmet need for treatment for more than 100,000 persons. 

Survey teams visited 167 health facilities, and the report provides a comprehensive inventory of HIV-related health services, including:

• HIV testing and counselling services (HTC)
• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services at antenatal clinics and maternity sites
• Blood transfusion services
  
• HIV testing and HIV management of TB patients
• Anti retroviral therapy (ART) clinics.

Findings

The report found that there had been significant scale-ups in HIV testing and counselling; prevention of mother to child transmission services. 99.9% of blood for transfusion was screened for HIV during 2006. The proportion of TB patients tested for HIV increased from previous years.

The report highlighted the following challenges for dealing with HIV in 2007 and beyond:

• human resources
• inadequate infrastructure
• pharmacy management
• increasing burden to collect complete, accurate and timely M&E data
• difficult access to ART clinics for poor people and people living in remote areas
• high early death rates