MALAWI: Minister Urges Youths To Adopt Safe Practices As Malawi Achieves 95% HIV Treatment Target

By Smile Hamilton, Malawi 

Malawi’s Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, has expressed concern over the high rate of HIV infection among young men and women, citing high-risk behaviors as a major contributor.

Chiponda has urged youths to desist from promiscuous behaviors and instead adopt safe practices, such as using condoms or abstaining from unprotected sex.

Despite the concerns, Chiponda revealed that Malawi has achieved its 95% target for HIV treatment among the general population, marking significant progress in reducing new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths.

This achievement is a testament to the country’s efforts in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

According to Chiponda, the 14,000 new HIV infections per year are mainly among people aged 15 to 39 years. This demographic is particularly vulnerable to HIV infection due to various factors, including lack of awareness and access to healthcare services.

Health rights activist Maziko Matemba has appealed to the government to allocate more resources to sustain efforts to end HIV and AIDS in Malawi. Matemba emphasized the need for continued support and funding to maintain the momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Meanwhile, Amy Diaz, Chief of Mission for the United States Embassy, pledged to continue supporting Malawi and other countries in ending HIV/AIDS. The US Embassy has been a key partner in Malawi’s efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, providing financial and technical support to various initiatives.

The theme for the event, which was held to commemorate World AIDS Day and the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, was “Take the Rights Path, Together We Remember, Together We End AIDS.” The event aimed to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and promote efforts to end the epidemic.