In its quest to improve operations, National AIDS Commission set aside time to engage and orient the newly instituted Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Corporations and State Enterprises. The session which took place on March 2nd, 2026, in Lilongwe centered on the role of the commission in the HIV national response and its mandate as stipulated in the HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management ACT #9 OF 2018.
During the meeting, NAC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beatrice Matanje, NAC CEO highlighted the substantial progress that Malawi has registered in the fight against HIV and AIDS over the decades. She cited attainment of the global targets of 95:95:95 by 2024 ahead of the deadline, and reduction of AIDS-related deaths from a peak of 80,000 in 2003 to 14,000 in 2024.
In contrast, Dr. Matanje said the battle is not yet over as she lamented that the country continues to register new HIV with latest figures standing at 12000 per year, which is still alarming. “This is an area of great concern for us as a Commission, and we are appealing for concerted efforts to accelerate reduction of new infections and sustain the progress made so far”, stated Dr. Matanje.
Furthermore, the NAC CEO mentioned that dwindling of foreign financial support has posed a big challenge by affecting service delivery especially community-based prevention interventions. She therefore appealed for more domestic support.
“As you may be aware that the HIV response relies heavily on development partners, the current financing landscape demands for more domestic investments, and we are pleading with you Honorables to lobby for increased Government funding to sustain the progress made so far”, pleaded Dr. Matanje. The NAC CEO also highlighted the human resources challenge that the Commission is facing, including several acting positions and inadequate staff positions on the Commission’s establishment.
After probing and discussing more on resource mobilization strategies, implementation of HIV programs at community level and visibility of the Commission especially in rural communities, the Committee assured NAC of speedy support to ensure that adequate resources and support are rendered to improve the Commission’s operations.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Corporations and State Enterprises, Honorable Silvester Ayuba James, commended NAC for the detailed presentation which he said portrayed the Commission’s commitment towards ending AIDS as a public health threat. “This meeting was timely and has really enlightened us on how we are progressing in our efforts to combat HIV and AIDS as a nation. We have documented your concerns and requests, and I can assure you that we are going to present them to the authorities responsible”, explained honorable Silvester Ayuba James.
The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Corporations and State Enterprises provides oversight by reviewing the performance, financial management, and operations of public entities.
