Malawi
Country Situation
Although HIV prevalence and incidence in Malawi decreased between 2001 and 2009, adult HIV prevalence (15-49 years) continues to be high (11% in 2009)[1]. HIV prevalence among pregnant women (all ages), estimated at 10.6% in 2009, was similar to the general adult population. In 2011, approximately 63,500 pregnant women were living with HIV and, in 2010, 13% of under-5 mortality[8] was due to HIV. Between 2009 and 2011, Malawi has seen a 26% decline in the number of new paediatric HIV infections – from 21, 300 to 15,700[3].
PMTCT services were available in all ANC facilities in Malawi in 2010[9]. Although HIV testing coverage among pregnant women increased from 10% in 2005 to 66% in 2010, it is still low[10]. In 2011, only 53% of pregnant women living with HIV received more efficacious ARV regimens for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV[3], and only 35-46% children born to PWLHIV received ARVs for PMTCT in 2010[10].
In July 2011, Malawi implemented new integrated clinical HIV guidelines including WHO Option B+ for prophylaxis. By June 2012, more than 10,000 pregnant women have initiated Option B+ at 534 sites[17]. A costed PMTCT scale up plan (2008-2015) is in place.
Link to the Malawi_National eMTCT Plan_2012.
Link to the Malawi Ministry of Health.
