20100924
africanews

The HIV/AIDS situation is improving in rural Malawi. The Malawi council of Churches (MCC), an interfaith Christian organization told AfricaNews it was encouraging to note that cases of people being infected and affected were declining as compared to those in earlier years.

Board Vice Secretary General for the organization, Reverend Chelewani, revealed this when he officially donated bicycle ambulances worth millions to Mwenelondo Consortium's Home Based Care (HBC) group in northern lakeshore district of Karonga.

"We are happy that through the consortia we have established in the two districts of Malawi, here in Karonga and in Nkhotakota, figures are improving. There are less people being affected by the pandemic against a rising and impressive figure of those that are coming forth to have their sero status checked," he said.

Recent figures released by international bodies indicate cases in the Sub-Saharan Africa region were declining.

UNAids said 22 countries in the world's worst affected region had seen a drop in new cases of more than 25%. The fall was because of greater awareness and better use of preventative measures, it said.

The organization also noted that cases of HIV were increasing in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and among gay men in developed countries.

Michel Sidibe, UNAids executive director, said the world was making "real progress" towards achieving the sixth Millennium Development Goal (MDG6) of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/Aids by 2015.

"For the first time change is happening at the heart of the epidemic. In places where HIV was stealing away dreams, we now have hope," said Sidibe.

There are now 5.2 million people worldwide receiving treatment for HIV/Aids, which has helped to ensure that 200,000 fewer people died from the virus in 2008 than in 2004

The MCC also provides HIV medication to over 200 people under its six consortiums spread in the two districts. It has youth groups that include orphans and vulnerable children, vulnerable elderly people and communities, among other interventional strategies.

"We utilise social events such as sports festivelas to keep the youth busy, income generating activities and revolving funds to promote self sustainability through maize mill, animal and crop husbandry, and provision of food to OVCs both at school and at home," he added.