By Annette Kampango
Nurse and Cluster Leader for HIV and AIDS at Partners in Hope hospital, Lilongwe, Saviour Mwandira, has urged men to go for HIV testing, noting that it is mostly women who frequent the hospital to access the service.
Mwandira made the remarks in Lilongwe during a candlelight memorial ceremony in honour of those who died of AlDS.
She said women take advantage of antenatal and prenatal clinics to undergo HIV and AIDS screening.
The government, through the Ministry of Health, put in place measures to ensure that people know their HIV and AIDS status and take necessary measures to maintain their health if found with the virus.
According to Mwandira, though the strategies are in place, most men do not go for testing as they commit a lot of their time to work and business ventures so that they can ably provide for their families.
Vice Chairperson for Lilongwe District Council, Dominick Banda, advised people in communities to refrain from stigmatizing those living with HIV and AIDS, stressing that they have the potential to bring transformative development in their areas.
The theme for the candlelight memorial was “Spread love and solidarity to build stronger communities in the fight against HIV and AlDS”.
Globally this year, the Candlelight Memorial Day will be on May 19.
