Number of HIV positive officers high – Malawi Police

Malawi Police Service (MPS) has expressed concern over the high number of police officers living with HIV.

Commissioner of Police for the Central Region George Kainja told the local media that the high prevalence of HIV among officers affects MPS since there is high absenteeism and the police is losing productive officers.

A survey MPS conducted shows that 22.5 percent of female police officers and 16.4 percent of male officers are HIV positive.

The revelations were made at a workshop In Dowa organised by Pakachere Institute aimed at looking at the challenges sex workers face.

It was attended by police officers in-charge, sex workers and magistrates.

One of the issues discussed was the harassment sex workers face at the hands of police officers.

“Sometimes police officers overstep their mandate and arrest innocent sex workers.
Sometimes the officers demand sex from the sex workers and this can be one of the reasons the police is affected by the pandemic very much,” said Pakachere Institute managing director Simon Sikwese.

He added that his organisation will continue to work with the Malawi Police to reduce infections.