By Chrissie Mainjeni, Chiradzulu
National Association for Young People Living With HIV (Y+) in Chiradzulu, says Community Antiretro Viral Groups (CAG), a pilot initiative, is improving antiretroviral (ARV) uptake among young people.
This comes amid growing concerns of high ARV default rate currently at 2 percent in the district, with authorities attributing it to lack of food and mobility challenges to health facilities for refills.
Speaking to MBC Digital, District Coordinator for Y+, Max Mtiwah, said that before the CAG project was piloted two years ago at Mbulumbuzi and Mauwa Health Centres, many young people were failing to go for refills due to busy schedules and an inconducive environment where ART clinics were conducted.
But now, Mtiwah noted that there has been an improvement in ARV uptake and viral suppression, thanks to the Coalition of Women Living With HIV and AIDS, with financial assistance from the AIDS Fond of the Netherlands for supporting the project.
“Every group has 4 members who collect ARVs on behalf of others on a rotation basis, for the whole year. So, as you can see, the process is now simplified,” he explained.
Mtiwah acknowledged the daily challenges faced by the programme’s 1,481 members but emphasised that these do not limit their ability to pursue their dreams and contribute to the Malawi 2063 Development Agenda.
Health Education and Promotion Officer for Chiradzulu District Health Office, Dalitso Gulani, recently told us that they have intensified counselling and psychosocial support, as well as providing special clinics for teen mothers and adolescents to address trends of defaulting therapy.
Meanwhile, health expert Maziko Matemba said the current HIV status is dominant amongst the youth and men, therefore, the project will help to reduce new infections and stigma. He suggested an extension of the same to other districts for better management of the pandemic.
Matemba observed that the youth are pioneers of the country’s development agenda, hence they should have a long life expectancy.
