AHF calls for more trained health workers to strengthen HIV and mental health services

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has urged government to recruit and train more health workers to bolster HIV and AIDS prevention efforts and improve mental health support, stressing that increasing professional cadres is critical to enhancing awareness, counseling, and access to essential services.

Speaking on Tuesday at Chinsapo Market in Lilongwe during the first post-World AIDS Day community commemoration, AHF Advocacy and Marketing Manager, Davis Mwachumu, said the foundation is scaling up efforts to reach more people with health services. He added that they will continue lobbying government to make proper arrangements for expanding service delivery through increased manpower.

Mwachumu observed that despite numerous interventions from various stakeholders, men remain behind in accessing HIV testing and other services in public facilities—an issue AHF is actively trying to reverse.

“Our main role is to ensure that people are sensitized and provided with HIV prevention methods. We have established cadres in some health facilities and identified gaps that require government support, especially the recruitment of more health workers,” he said.

Lilongwe District Council Senior Social Welfare Officer, Sky Morocco, highlighted the importance of community engagement, noting that persistent stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to accessing health services. He pledged that government will continue strengthening health initiatives, even amid limited resources.

“It is very important to sensitize communities because HIV and AIDS cases are rising. This initiative will help in raising more awareness,” he said.

Brighton Masiyano, Executive Secretary for Lilongwe Market Traders CBO—which promotes health services, human rights, and hygiene—described the outreach as a significant milestone in improving healthcare access among vendors.

“As vendors, we often do not encourage each other to seek health services. This initiative has helped change mindsets, and we call for more frequent engagements,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ulemu Chirwa, Nutrition and HIV Officer for Lilongwe District Council, said the council is implementing several interventions aimed at ensuring people live healthier lives by integrating HIV services with other health needs. She acknowledged the pressures created by donor withdrawal but noted that collaboration and service integration have helped sustain progress.

This year’s community commemoration focused on raising awareness, promoting HIV prevention, and reducing stigma by taking essential services directly to market vendors. Activities included condom distribution, HIV testing, and dissemination of IEC materials.