Manerela+ orients 280 on treatment literacy
Malawi Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV and Aids (Manerela+) on Tuesday oriented 280 recipients of care from Kasungu and Dedza districts on treatment adherence.
The training, organised with funding from the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was aimed at improving uptake of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV in the two districts.
In Kasungu, participants were drawn from the district’s hospital, Family Planning Association of Malawi (Fpam), Mnyanja, Bua, Chamwabvi, K2 Taso, Kasalika and Kaluluma health centres while in Dedza, they were drawn from the district’s hospital, Fpam, Lobi, Kaphuka, Tsoyo and Mayani health centres.
Speaking during the opening ceremony at Kasungu Fpam office, Manerela+ programme officer Harold Kachepatsonga encouraged the participants to adhere to treatment, saying doing so helps them attain undetectable levels of HIV which prevents transmission.
He said: “This prevention method is estimated to be 100 percent effective as long as the person living with HIV takes their medication as prescribed.
“This concept is known as U for undetectable, untransmittable, Tizilombo tochepa equals Thanzi.”
Kachepatsonga said a lot of people are not adhering to treatment because of various reasons such as stigma.
In his remarks, Kasungu district medical officer Ulemu Zulu encouraged participants to take the training seriously because it is beneficial to their lives.
