ARV distribution in Malawi

Malawi to open 60 new clinics to distribute Aids drugs, says Shaba
By Nyasa Times
Published: January 12, 2010

Malawi says it will to open more health facilities throughout for the distribution of anti-retroviral drugs-ARV to HIV/Aids suffers.

Dr Mary Shawa, principal secretary in the Office of the President responsible for HIV/Aids and nutrition.

“We started with very few clinics, there were central hospital, we moved to districts. Within this year our plan is to add addition 60 clinics that should be providing ARVs,” Shaba told Capital Radio.

She said the clinics which have already been identified will go along way to helping people who do not have easy access to health facilities that are distributing the life-prolonging drugs.

Currently over, 250 thousand people are on ARV’s, with health officials targeting another one hundred thousand at least by the end of this year.

The rollout of free antiretroviral has also been hampered by severe staff shortages.
Shaba also said the country will now follow WHO guidelines and they have recommended to be putting HIV patients on ARV when their CD4 count is below 350.

“The reason is when somebody starts ARV at higher CD4 count, the death rate is reduced tremendously,” she said.

Shaba said the roll out of free ARVs to Aids suffered has saved many Malawians