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Communities impress hospital on HTC, ART

Mlambe Hospital coordinator of HIV and Aids Madalitso Chitsakamire said on Saturday the hospital is impressed with the surrounding communities’ response to HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) services and the reduction of the ART default rate.

Chitsakamire said this at Katete 2 Primary School ground during the Community Mobilisation Campaign where he encouraged husbands to accompany their wives to antenatal clinics.

Mlambe Hospital, located at Lunzu in Blantyre, is implementing a Christian Hospitals Association of Malawi (CHAM) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) project which involves sensitising communities on the need for HTC and use of ART in rural areas.

“We are impressed [with] the way rural communities, especially those villages surrounding Mlambe Hospital the way they are responding to mobilisation campaign concerning ART services, HTC services as well as PMTCT [prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and Aids] and STI [sexually transmitted infections] services.

“The hospital is pleased to note the reduction of default rate of ART patients that more people are now continuing with the treatment and that more people are coming for HTC. In a month, we are registering over 800 clients for HTC due to the sensitisation campaign,” he said.

During the campaign, people were encouraged to go for HTC and also be aware of STIs.

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