National AIDS Commission (NAC) has revealed that Malawi still faces challenges in achieving the 95:95:95 targets, particularly among children, despite making progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Beatrice Matanje, emphasised the need for increased efforts during a recent visit to Thyolo district under the umbrella body of Malawi Partnership Forum.
“Malawi has made notable strides in reducing HIV infections, with an 82% decline among children since 2010. However, the country still lags behind in achieving the 95:95:95 targets, with only 88-97-96 progress recorded among adults,” she said.
This target means 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment have suppressed viral loads.
Meanwhile, Thyolo District has emerged a model for providing HIV/AIDS services to children.
Acting Director of Health Services for Thyolo, Dr Mirriam Jere, attributed the success to the dedication of child protection workers and collaborative efforts among stakeholders among others.
For Malawi to reach the 95:95:95 targets, there is a need to scale up early diagnosis initiatives, increase access to treatment for those diagnosed and support viral suppression among those on treatment.
