By: Lloyd M’bwana
The country’s AHL Group, formerly Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) is in an HIV and AIDS sensitization and campaign drive amongst its stakeholders in the tobacco industry including growers, buyers and transporters in a bid to reduce new infections.
Since the company’s rebranding to AHL Group from AHL in February this year (2015), over 20 pear educators and 100 tobacco transporters with their assistants have be equipped with skill and knowledge on best practices to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic.
In an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post on Friday, October 16, Leonard Chakwawa, AHL Group HIV/AID Coordinator emphasized the need for collective effort among all stakeholders in the tobacco industry in a bid to win the battle against the spread of the deadly virus by 2030.
Chakwawa observed that the tobacco industry in Malawi has for along time been sidelined on HIV/AIDS activities which also contributed negatively to the production of quality tobacco as many growers are in bad health.
“Through AHL Group’s HIV/AIDS Workplace Policy, knowledge gap was established amongst our main stakeholders including tobacco farmers, buyers and transporters who haven’t been included in the various HIV/AIDS activities such as prevention measures. This has led to increase in new infections which have negatively contributed to
dwindling down of quality tobacco production.
“This is the reason we are in the sensitization campaign across the nation to growers, buyers and transporters to reduce the spread of the pandemic through various knowledge given to them. The nation needs health citizens to contribute positively to its growth hence the intervention.
“In terms of monitoring, AHL Group works closely with National Aids Commission (NAC), department of Nutrition and HIV/AIDS, health facilities across the nation whom we share reports on our intervention drive towards those given the training which currently shows that the impacts is massive. For instance, drivers or transporters are able to carry condoms freely during trips and share some insights of the pandemic with friends which wasn’t in the past”, says Chakwawa.
Chakwawa therefore lauded the new antiretroviral therapy (ART) regime saying patients receiving the drugs have not experienced any bad effects when comparing with the past regime which according his findings have improved patients health.
“To complete the magic work of the new ART to patients, I am personally joining the bandwagon of the country’s civil societies’ call for the ministry of health to quickly formulate the policy which will facilitate those diagnosed with the virus start receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) earlier that latter in a bid to contain
the viral load.
“The move is in good direction regarding to the country’s national agenda to eliminate the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2030 which I see is achievable if this policy is in place now not later. Early treatment to HIV/AIDS suppresses the virus growth in affected people therefore the policy must be supported to help many”, appeals Chakwawa.
Currently reports are rife that most people diagnosed with HIV are told to wait until their CD4 count is reduced to below 500 which consequently led to deteriorating of their condition that eventually to death upon taking the ART lately.
On September 8, 2015 the CSOs including MANET +, CEDEP, MANASO, MANERELA+, CHRR, AVAC, JONEHA, SAT, MHEN and COWLHA indorsed the policy brief with recommendation for government to act immediately.
Based on Ministry of Health data , by 2013, approximately one million Malawians were living with HIV such that end of June 2014, half of them were on ART .Currently, Malawi has almost reached the UNADS target of 90-90-90 among pregnant and breastfeeding women which has resulted into 66% of babies being born HIV free. However, similar studies have revealed that police officer are second from sex workers with high prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS for about 75% which according to
heath experts is worrying situation.
