Chikwawa District Council is proactively taking a leading role in mainstreaming HIV service provision to various sites where different construction development projects are taking place.
The initiative focuses on promoting and optimizing the provision of HIV service uptake. The team is sensitizing the construction workers on the available HIV prevention options to prevent the spread of new HIV infections in the district. HIV self-test kits and condoms are being provided throughout these sessions, linkage and care services on treatment with hospitals are being done.
Chikwawa district is benefiting from various construction development projects. Infrastructure development threatens human capital development by increasing the occurrence of risky behaviors that fuel HIV spread. The district’s HIV incidence rate (15-49 years) is at 0.13%, higher than the national average of 0.11% and HIV prevalence is 8% which is amongst the highest in the country, against the national prevalence of 6.7% (15-49 years).
HIV self-test kits, which are being distributed, will facilitate early ascertainment of workers’ HIV status in the construction sites, and condoms will help in the prevention of HIV, STIs and unintended pregnancies.
Michael Chirwa, the condom coordinator for Chikwawa, is leading the HIV mainstreaming interventions together with his fellow health workers and other District Council officials. The construction of canals for the Shire Valley Transformation Irrigation project is one of the beneficiary project sites.
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