Exciting news to share! Over the years, Malawi has registered remarkable strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS since the first case was reported in 1985. NAC Chief executive Officer, Dr. Beatrice Matanje has attributed this to strong political will, community leadership, and the unwavering support of partners. Dr. Matanje proudly mentioned that Malawi successfully achieved the global 95-95-95 targets by 2024, ahead of the 2025 deadline. She stated that HIV prevalence among adults (15+ years) has declined significantly from over 14 percent in the late 1990s to 7 percent in 2024. In addition, she explained that the annual AIDS-related deaths have declined sharply from a peak of 80,000 in 2003 to 14,000 in 2024. To be precise, Malawi Progress report on 95:95:95 (All age groups) records that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status; of these, 95 percent have been initiated on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and 95 percent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression
“This achievement places Malawi among the few countries that have met the ambitious 95-95-95 targets”, said Dr. Matanje.
Similarly, regarding progress on 95:95:95 targets on women, 97 percent of women living with HIV know their status, of these 96 percent have been initiated on ART, and 95 percent of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression. Also, the targets on children, records show that 76 percent of children living with HIV know their status; of these, 77 percent have been initiated on ART, and 84 percent on treatment have achieved viral suppression. However, NAC CEO has expressed concern that only 58 percent of children 0-14 years who are HIV positive are on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).
As of December 2024, ART coverage for all children aged 0–14 living with HIV in Malawi stands at 58 percent highlighting a significant treatment gap compared to global targets, NAC therefore is calling upon all implementers and partners to pay attention and invest more in HIV programming among children.
Overall, in Malawi, women account for approximately 61 percent of all new HIV infections, reflecting a significant gender disparity in the epidemic. Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), aged 15–24, are particularly affected, representing 26 percent of all new infections and 42 percent of infections among women.
“This highlights the disproportionate vulnerability of young females to HIV, driven by factors such as gender inequality, early sexual debut, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, and economic dependence”, explains Dr. Matanje.
The data underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions focusing on AGYW, including comprehensive sexuality education, access to HIV prevention tools like PrEP, and programs that empower young women socially and economically. While the UNAIDS estimates that 4,000 young women (15–24) acquire HIV weekly in sub-Saharan Africa, in Malawi, around 59 young women (15-24) acquire HIV weekly. As of December 2024, ART coverage for all women aged 15+ living with HIV in Malawi stands at 93 percent.
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