Giving comprehensive
AIDS care
The southern African nation of Malawi is
one of the countries most severely affected
by HIV/AIDS. One million adults and children
are estimated to have HIV/AIDS, and
life expectancy has fallen below 40 years of
age. In this country, where most people
live in rural areas and have little or no
access to health care, MSF provides medical
treatment including life-extending
antiretroviral (ARV) therapy to people living
with AIDS in the districts of Chiradzulu and
Thyolo in southern Malawi. MSF also
responds to nutritional emergencies and
outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.
In the Thyolo district, MSF is providing
health care to people living with HIV/AIDS
through activities in two hospitals, ten
health centers and multiple clinics and
other sites. MSF works with volunteers,
traditional healers and birth attendants to
provide an integrated approach to HIV/
AIDS prevention, care, treatment and
support. Team activities include voluntary
counseling and testing services, treatment
for opportunistic diseases (including tuberculosis),
prevention of mother-to-child
transmission and home-based care. MSF
staff also hold monthly mobile clinics for
commercial sex workers. By the end of
August 2004, about 1,250 patients were
receiving treatment with ARVs.
In Chiradzulu, MSF staff carry out daily HIV
clinics in the central district hospital and
bimonthly clinics in 11 district health centers.
MSF sees an average of 400 newly
diagnosed patients per month. The MSF
team also cares for hospitalized HIV/AIDS
patients. By July 2004, more than 3,200
patients were taking ARVs, at the rate of
200 to 250 new patients per month. MSF
also works to educate the public to fight
the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
MSF has worked in Malawi since 1986.
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