Malawi to start door-to-door HIV testing – Minister
Malawian Health Minister Dr Jean Kalilani has said the country cannot afford to fold its sleeves in the fight against the HIV virus, else even the registered gains will be taken away, saying government will embark on a door-to-door HIV/Aids testing campaign.
Kalilani said on Monday the door-to-door HIV testing campaigns for every citizen in the country is a move to try and eliminate new HIV infections as everyone will have the access to HIV/AIDs information that will enable positively leaving for people in Malawi.
Speaking during the launch of World AIDS Day Commemoration on Monday in Karonga the northern part of Malawi, Kalirani said the door-to-door campaign strategy was a way forward in eliminating HIV and Aids.
She said the campaign expecting to start on 15 March 2015 has been discovered to fulfill the world day’s theme of getting to zero new infections, HIV discrimination and related death in the country upon 2030.
Kalirani pointed out that most of the people in the country are failing to know their status because testing facilities are in pre and urban areas which acts as barrier for the community in the rural areas to verify their status.
She said the door-to-door HIV testing campaign is the “starting point of elimination.”
Stated the minister: “Based on our findings, it has been revealed that most of Malawians are failing to get tested as many healthy centers are not easily accessible.”
Kalilani called on citizens to redouble their efforts against HIV/AIDS, and particularly against the high rates of HIV prevalence among girls
In her remarks UNAIDS Country Director Amakobe Sande said Malawi should be brave enough, innovative and accept strategies like the door-to-door testingto achieve the said goal of getting to zero.
“According to the study we conducted in the country about 93,000 adolescents have the virus,100 people get the virus daily and the country is registering 138 HIV/AIDS related deaths every day an indication that a policy to guide the activities related to HIV need to be implemented to achieve the goal come 2030,” said Sande.
In her part, the secretary for nutrition on HIV/AIIDS Edith Mkawa said “as a way of helping government to fight the virus our organization has introduced HIV youth group the whole country and also 724 testing areas have been put in place to achieve the said goal.”
Meanwhile, Paramount Chief Kyungu said “there is a need for the days of commemorating the HIV/AIDS virus to be done quarterly so that people should have ful information on the impact of the virus.”
At the function the UNAIDS Country Director Sande presented a certificate trophy to the country’s secular musician Skefa Chimoto to qualify him as a UN goodwill ambassador as the organization has involved musicians to help spreading HIV/AIDS messages.
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Sakakamiza kuyezesa,aliyense ali ndi ufulu kufuna kuyezesa tikusumirani muona tayambirani mu ndix mu tione ngati mutamalize bwino bwino
anthu anachita kale zimenezo za door to door. Iam sure you pipo you a totally thieves. since, when I was at Primary school youve been telling us the same stories and pano we a having zizukulu do you think you need to divert a lot of funds into this shit ideas.
When our economy is in shambles????
That is the way of getting money through the disease, not helping malawians ,leave us, forsake.
Lets unite and make Malawi HIV free…….
If have already contacted it…… be smart,,, follow what the doctors tell you…. if have not….please please,,, stay cool.
That’s total madness, it’s insane. How can they combat HIV/Aids by just testing people door to door? And where is the right of choice? Where did this nonsense work? Just want to syphone government money by paying unnecessary allowances here. Equip the Health Centres so that they can do this. Not door to door.
Keen observer, who told you people will be forced to get tested? In fact the minister said many people will have access to information. She did not say everyone will get tested because of the element of consent. But obviously more people will have the opportunity to have the test in their homes than in a health facility setting. We need to think outside the box if we are to successfully fight the pandemic. Bravo Minister and please consider HIV self testing as well. And in future, consider doing the HIV testing just like malaria. This tendency of regarding HIV… Read more »
I will agree on conditions.1,all those who will be found positive should have there faces stamped with a hot iron stamp bearing the words HIV.
I like the cloth, looks beautiful to me really, big up to whoever designed it.
Afirika kupepela. The white man created HIV in order to control your populations because he saw that he was slowly becoming a minority and would soon lose his power in the world. Now you willingly go for HIV testing so that his tests can declare you positive and he can pump you full of drugs that fuck up your reproduction system. At first he thought HIV would keep you from making healthy babies but God’s genes beat the hell out of that virus. So he decided to just pump you full of drugs instead. Ever asked yourself how come THEY… Read more »
Just when I thought I have read the silliest comments this one lands. However, I do agree with one statement, rise up African man, stop being promiscuous, be faithful. Your children will be healthy and THEY wont win (if EVER they had this most stupendous idea I’ve read here).
That is a very stupid idea coming from the most stupid person.It simply means Jean Kalirani has an outdated modula oblangata.As I am writing now reaseachers have just found that HIV has evolved and it has become less deadly and infectious.You just want to steal NAC money jusy like the first gogo family is doing.Just because you are extremely greedy,you want to infect innocent ignorant citizens using your so-called test kits.I warn you my fellow Malawian citizens if you are not careful with these galmonds you will get poisoned.Previously they used to say HIV mothers must not breast feed ,then… Read more »
I will advise them to visit your house to have you tested first. Why do you not like the idea. Whether door to door or not mupezeka chaka chino
Hats off, Hon Minister. A policy statement like this one is what is required to attract funding. But when the money comes in, don’t start partying like high school students whose headteacher is away. We need such bold policy statements on all important matters. Why are we still spitting into our arms and digging the ground with hoes looking for food when Egyptians started using advanced technologies centuries ago. Malawi should not beg for food. If we transform the means of production as well as value adding in agriculture, we can also create more jobs and tap into many markets.… Read more »