To counter attack the problem, many Faith Based Organisations (FBO’s), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) have mushroomed with different roles in spreading messages to fight the further spreading of the virus.
However, in Malawi, many of these organisations are based in the urban sector leaving the rural sector, in the country where the population is predominantly rural.
These are the areas, according to National AIDS Commission (NAC) where there are most culutural practices that enhance the spread of HIV are still practiced like polygamy, wife inheritance, replacement/bonus wife, fisi, kulowa kufa and rites of passage into adulthood are still taking place.
Those that are in the rural areas are short-lived and they disappear in no time leaving the poor people suffering as there is no any information and assistance.
HIV frequently perpetuates and deepens where there is no sexual and reproductive health information and education. People in the rural areas need knowledge to protect them from the pandemic.
With the accelerating poverty, listening to the radio, let alone owning one, is a milestone.
The story of Hayitoni Rabson, who is HIV positive, has it all. He comes from Kang’oma village in the area of Traditional Authority Tsabango in Lilongwe rural, about 50 kilometres from the City.
“I was tested positive in 2006. I contacted the virus while working as a tenant at a tobacco farm in Dowa district.
“This is the period when I knew nothing about the virus. I took life as the same way it was as I used to go out with women without any protection. I believe that my many partners also had no any information,” said Rabson who was born on February 11, 1973.
It was while he was a tenant when he started suffering from different diseases.
“I suspected witchcraft. With my wife, we visited different witch doctors but to no avail. I was becoming weaker by each passing day. I then quit my work and came back home to try more luck with traditional doctors from my home village-Kang’oma,” he said.
After exhausting all her resources in traditional medicines which yielded nothing, he finally decided to visit Kamuzu Central Hospital as a last hope.
He said he lost his way to the registration section of the hospital and miraculously, found himself standing before the doctor at Lighthouse section where he was tested and found positive.
“I was shocked, because it was news to me. By then, I thought that HIV/AIDS was a myth. It took the doctor a while to counsel me to understand that it was not the end of my life.
“I swallowed it all and took the courage to fight for my survival. My first CD4 count was 89. I was put on ARV’s in September 2007 and after six months, my CD4 shot up to 289,” said Robson who has four children and is now divorced.
Prevention of vertical transmission of HIV is also another dramatic challenge especially in rural areas where women are vulnerable due to insufficient information and access to quality medical services.
Mother to child transmission of HIV during pregnancy is almost likely in the rural areas whew women know nothing on their status and know very little or no information on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT).
NAC National HIV and AIDS responce and Intergrated annual work plan for July 3008 to June 2009 while acknowledging that knowledge about MTCT is still considerably low, it futher says there is low uptake pf PMTCT servises due to long distances to health facilities and the propotion of facility based deliveries has not improved as some deliveries are still done at home and with the assistance of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) thereby puting the lives of the newly born children at risk of contacting the virus
This is the section of women who, due to high levels of illiteracy rate, have little or no information on HIV transmission from expectant mothers.
Grace Mathanga is 35 years old and HIV positive. She comes from Chimatu Village Traditional Authority Kwataine in Ntcheu District, about 250 kilometres from the Capital City, Lilongwe.
“I started suspecting that someone had bewitched the family following the mysterious death of my two children and my husband. My husband passed away in early 2008 when I was expecting our third child.
“After all were gone, different diseases also started attacking me. Concerned with my deteriorating health and the life of my un-born baby, fortunately a nearby friend advised me to seek assistance from the district hospital. I had no choice but to embark on a 20 kilometres journey,” she said.
She was tasted HIV positive three months after the death of her husband.
“I was completely disturbed for what i know was that having HIV means death. I felt sorry for myself and my un-born child,” said Mathanga.
After some time with excessive counselling, Mathanga said she found peace of mind knowing that there are ways that can protect her un-born baby.
“Lucky enough my child whom I named Chisomo (for Grace of God) was born negative, all because of my friend,” she said.
Some women are divorced by their husbands once they new that the wife has tested positive bucause, all because there is no enough information for men.
Catherine Soko comes from Nthondo Village, Traditional Authority Mwadzama in Nkhotakota district. She re-married after the death of her first husband due to AIDS related illness.
Without being tested, Catherine found a new lover in the same distict who also never knew of his status and after a while, she was expecting a fifth child.
"During the pregnancy, I used to fel sick adequetly. It was during one of those visits by the Health Savialance Assistants (HSAs) who advised me to start anti-natal care where I got tested and found HIV positive," said Chisomo.
It was when she started dancing to the tune of lack of HIV/AIDS information.
"My hasband abandoned me when I was 4 months pregnant saying he could no longer share a house with someone who is about to die. My relations too could not accept my status, I was being discriminated to the extent that there was nobody to take care of me when I felt sick, I was hopeless and I felt sorry for myself.
"I found some peace with some support from the HSA's who advised me to deriver at the district hosipital for the safety of my fifth un-born child. Luckly enough, I derivered a virus free baby girl. Afrter counselling, I still live a happy life with my children," said Chisomo who is now into business and farming.
The husband is still nowhere to be seen.
National Association for People Living with HIV and AIDS in Malawi (NAPHAM) patron Justin Malewezi said Malawians in some geographical areas lack information and do not have access to HTC because there are no providers nearby.
Malewezi said some communities do not have community support services such as support groups for the people living with HIV and mother to mother groups for pregnant mothers who are living with HIV because they have not been sensitized and lack correct information.
“Up to now some Malawian mothers are not able to access PMTCT either because they lack information or services are not available to them.
“Sometimes we hear that some places are hard to reach hence there are no services for people in such places. But one wonders, who will provide for them? Are these not Malawians?
“It is time we stop overcrowding in one area at the expense of the other would be beneficiaries. Remember these are Malawians and they have a right to the services” said Malewezi, who was Malawi’s the first vice president.
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