The 72nd meeting of the Malawi HIV and AIDS Partnership Forum (MPF) was held on March 19th, 2026, at Sunbird Capital hotel in Lilongwe. The meeting ended on a high note with a handful of recommendations and considerations to be implemented to improve delivery service. Among the recommendations, the MPF executive members agreed to continue lobbying for increased budgetary allocation towards National HIV response, scale up user-friendly paying services in some public health facilities, engage the private sector to financing the health services through Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry MCCCI, MBCHealth and the Ministry of Trade. Also, to think of integration beyond HIV to promote client centered service delivery for the sustainability of the HIV response.
The MPF members also agreed to take into consideration the introduction of health insurance, local manufacturing of some medical commodities such as groves, intensifying HIV Early Infants diagnosis and engagement of custodians of culture to help address some myths related to EID in communities.
The 72nd MPF meeting was officially opened by the Secretary for Health in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation Dr. Dan Namarika who emphasized that HIV response is a political, development and human-rights issue that needs collaborative effort. He has expressed government commitment to support HIV and Health sector in line with the international treaties and called for integration of services. Dr. Namarika acknowledged significant progress Malawi has registered over the years in its efforts to combat HIV and AIDS as public threat citing the global targets 95:95:95 and he commended UNAIDS, MPF and all key players for their contributions.
While we are celebrating these gains, challenges persist. New infections remain a concern, especially among young people and the key and vulnerable populations. Stigma and discrimination hinder treatment adherence. We need to continue so that we should not lose the gains
Furthermore, the Secretary for Health called on the MPF members, especially the Parliamentary Committee on Health, to help in lobbying for domestic funding to improve health care delivery.
“It is high time members of parliament you started thinking how to leverage the Constituency Development Funds CDF, look at what CDF can do to complement government efforts of supporting the health sector domestically. Let me remind you that HIV and AIDS response is a development issue, a human right issue and a matter of national resilience and not just a health challenge. I am therefore calling upon you all stakeholders to contribute towards reshaping the future of the national response to HIV and AIDS”, detailed Dr. Namarika.
Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Health honorable Anthony Masamba Parliamentary Committee on Health said his committee will continue advocating for increased budgetary allocation towards national response to HIV with much focus on community led initiatives.
We have alot of interest in the national response to HIV and as a committee we are planning to introduce few toll gates at selected boarder districts which we believe will help to generate much needed resources to boost domestic funding”
In her closing remarks, the MPF Co-chairperson, Ms Triza Hara, commended MPF executive members for the fruitful discussion which she said has sharpened the future of the National response to HIV and AIDS as the commission is working towards integration. This is in line with NAC’s draft 2024-2030 National Strategic Plan that focuses on integration of HIV response with other public health concerns and broader health system strengthening, ensuring resilience and sustainability.
The MPF is an advisory body to the National AIDS Commission. It primarily fosters a well-coordinated national HIV and AIDS response that strives to meet national and global targets through a strengthened national and sub-national HIV and AIDS programme.