Centers for Disease Control - CGH

Description

In 2012, Malawi reported a 10.8% prevalence rate in adults 15 years old or older and an incidence rate of 0.76% in the age group between 15 to 49 years old. Over 1,700,000 people got HIV counseling and testing services in that year. Also in 2012, more people were started on anti-retroviral treatment than the number of newly infected people, 114,120 and 66,000, respectively. Malawi has therefore reached the tipping point, but more needs to be done in prevention, diagnosis, determining eligibility, and monitoring patients on anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The Ministry of Health (MOH) has embarked on a number of policies for the prevention of HIV infection, including Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) and Option B+ Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT). Malawi has also scaled up an ambitious anti-retroviral treatment program for adults and children. By end of the third quarter of 2013, a total of 459,261 were alive on treatment, representing coverage among children (under 15) and adults of 47% and 81%, respectively. Additionally, with the assistance of partners, the MOH has increased point of care sites for HIV diagnosis and CD4 count, malaria and tuberculosis microscopy sites, hematology, and chemistry at district level and molecular work for HIV and diagnosis and monitoring in referral hospitals. However, improving on and maintaining a reliable and quality assured system of medical laboratories is necessary to ensure adequate screening, diagnosis, opportunistic diseases diagnosis, eligibility determination, and monitoring for only drug effectiveness and adverse events. This program will support the Ministry of Health in Malawi to deliver on its priorities as set out in the national strategic plans for health and diagnostics. The new National HIV Treatment guidelines have adopted raising the CD4 cut-off to 500 and suggest use of viral load for treatment monitoring. Through PEPFAR, CDC-Malawi has funded capacity building collaborative agreements in Malawi since 2002. Currently, PEPFAR has assisted in pre-service curriculum development; in-service training for HIV testing, CD4 count, viral load and early infant diagnosis; and biosafety and quality management systems implementation. PEPFAR has improved quality testing through the introduction of Strengthening Laboratory Management towards Accreditation (SLMTA) in at least 42 referral, central, and district laboratories. PEPFAR has built capacity for the national reference laboratory to develop quarterly dry tube test proficiency testing and quality control specimens. Some laboratories have also been enrolled on external quality assurance programs for HIV PCR, chemistry, hematology, and Gene Xpert.

Who can apply

• Others

Contact

Priyanka Rathod<br/>wnv9@cdc.gov<br/>
wnv9@cdc.gov