As Malawi plan to achieve a zero new HIV infection rate by the year 2030, it has been established that the vision may not be achieved after all as 2023 new HIV infection statistics show that Malawi registered over 15 000 new HIV infections and Mzimba district registered over 320 new HIV infections.
This was revealed by the National Aids Commission (NAC) Monitoring and evaluation officer Tracy Msiska on the sidelines of HIV data collection orientation, hailed in the district on Monday.
Msiska said: “Our 2023 national new HIV infection show that Mzimba recorded 320 new HIV infections this is worrysome for the district, among the numbers the most affected are youth, it has been also observed that regardless of players putting their effort in distribution of condoms but most of the Youth are not using it hence high new HIV infection rate in Mzimba.”
She therefore asked organizations that are working on issues of HIV and Aids in the Mzimba district to focus much on sansitising the youth on the importance of using condoms.
In his remarks, M’mbelwa District Council Acting Principal HIV/Aids and Nutrition officer, Gift Simkonda, has appealed to different organisation that are implementing health projects in the district to make sure that they are following new data reporting tools that NAC has introduced.
“We need to up our efforts in ensuring that not many people are contracting the virus that causes Aids. Let’s continue with the messages on prevention,” said Simkonda.
He also asked communities to always take precautionary measures such as using condoms.
