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Malawi

Malawi has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with around 15% of those aged 15–49 years infected. I-TECH is collaborating with the CDC GAP Malawi, the MOHP, and other in-country partners to establish and evaluate the clinical attachment near the Lighthouse clinic for HIV and AIDS.
Malawi

Overview

Malawi has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with around 15% of those aged 15–49 years infected. The National AIDS Commission (NAC) estimated that in 2001 there were about 1,000,000 adults and children living with HIV and AIDS in the country. HIV and AIDS is now the leading cause of death in the most productive age group, resulting in 50,000 to 70,000 adult and child deaths annually. The cumulative number of orphans, directly related to the AIDS epidemic, is approximately 400,000, and more than 60,000 will be added to this each year.

With HRSA support, I-TECH has been involved in Malawi since 2002. An agreement with the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC GAP) Malawi, was established to provide technical assistance to the Lighthouse (HIV clinic near Kamuzu Central Hospital-previously known as Lilongwe Central Hospital).

Lighthouse is a Malawian Trust, working in partnership with the MOHP. The Lighthouse exists to fight against AIDS in Malawi by providing a continuum of quality care and support and by working to build capacity in the health sector. The Lighthouse continuum of care starts from counseling and testing, through clinical care, to home-based care. Currently, Lighthouse conducts just over five thousand patient reviews per month, and manage over two thousand patients on ART.

I-TECH's overall goal in Malawi is to increase human capacity for HIV and AIDS care and treatment services. I-TECH is collaborating with the CDC GAP Malawi, the MOHP, and other in-country partners to establish and evaluate the clinical attachment near the Lighthouse clinic for HIV and AIDS. Proposed objectives:

  • Maximizing the impact of Lighthouse services, with possibility of scaling up.
  • Ongoing training and technical assistance to the Lighthouse.
  • Monitoring and evaluation of clinical attachments and trainings.
  • Documentation of lessons learned and successes with potential replication of services countrywide.
  • Collaborate with the MOHP/Health Education Unit and continue to develop IEC materials and possible videos.
  • Collaboration with the MOHP/HIV Unit regarding findings of supervision visits and integration of findings to improve the clinical attachment program at the Lighthouse.
  • I-TECH has worked with the MOH HIV unit to prepare for the roll-out of a national nursing pre-service training plan at 12 institutions (15 sites total). To date, 13 schools are scheduled for training (with approximately 800 final year nursing students to be trained in the general management of HIV/AIDS patients).
  • Collaborate with the MOHP and other home-based care (HBC) agencies and share the HBC facilitator guidebook.
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