Karonga communities urged to go for voluntary HIV testing
Karonga Debate Club has encouraged people at Uliwa Trading Centre in the district to go for voluntary HIV testing and counselling.
The organisation’s monitoring and evaluation officer Denis Kumwenda said this on Saturday at Uliwa Primary School during a community mobilisation campaign.
He said: “This football bonanza is part of community awareness campaign that seeks to reach out to various groups of people, including the youth to encourage them to go for voluntary HIV testing and counselling for them to properly plan for their future.
“So, we have reached out to at least 5 000 people. Again, this awareness campaign has taught people to stop discrimination against sex workers.”
A community member Kanalumechi Mtawali commended the organisation for the awareness campaign, saying Uliwa was one of the fastest growing trading centres that is also attracting sex workers.
“Sex workers from Uliwa complain of mistreatment from clients. Again, they face stigma and discrimination from society,” he said.
Karonga District Hospital clinician Kepson Kamanga said a football bonanza was an ideal tool to tackle stigma and discrimination as it brought together various groups of people.
He said: “It was a rare platform for people to take the right message to reduce stigma and discrimination against sex workers.
“Again, people who could not go to health facilities for voluntary HIV testing and counselling had an opportunity to be tested.”
A sex worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity said some clients were refusing to pay them after rendering services; hence, commended the awareness campaign.
Karonga Debate Club is implementing Bringing HIV Information to Key Population and their Communities in Malawi Project in traditional authorities Wasambo and Mwakaboko with funding from United States of America-based Gilead Services Inc.
