Scale-up of integrated HIV services had reached the following number of sites:

• 757 static and 225 outreach HIV testing sites
• 747 (static) ART sites; 633 of these started at least one pregnant or breastfeeding woman and 715 started asymptomatic patients (Test & Treat) this quarter
• 680 sites with HIV-exposed children in follow-up

1,210,048 persons were tested for HIV and received their results; 286,328 (24%) accessed HIV testing for the first time; 923,720 (76%) were repeat testers and 40,380 (4%) of these received confirmatory testing (after having tested positive in the past). 36,052 (3.1%) clients received a positive result for the first time.

16,654 (97%) of 17,290 blood units collected were screened for (at least) HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.

171,922 (99%) of 174,118 women at ANC had their HIV status ascertained;12,450 (7%) of these were HIV positive. 144,829 (98%) of 148,190 women at maternity had their HIV status ascertained 10,412 (7%) of these were HIV positive.

32,315 patients started ART this quarter; 63% were classified as asymptomatic / in WHO stage 1 and started under the new “Test & Treat” policy.

796,100 patients were alive and on ART by end of September 2018. This means that 75% of the estimated 1,061,459 HIV positive population was on ART. ART coverage was 65% (44,207 / 67,682) for children and 76% (751,893 / 993,776) for adults.

98,413 (89%) of 110,546 viral load results from routine monitoring were <1000 copies/ml. Viral suppression rates for routine samples among children (0-14 years) and adults (15+ years) were 58% and 91%, respectively.

72% of adults and 77% of children were retained alive on ART at 12 months after initiation.

686,063 (92%) of 742,001 patients on first line adult ART were on TDF/3TC/EFV.

12,328 4 (88%) of an estimated 14,000 HIV infected pregnant women in Malawi were on ART this quarter. 8,795 (71%) of these were already on ART when getting pregnant and 3,533 (29%) started ART during pregnancy/delivery.

An additional 1,492 breastfeeding women started ART in WHO stage 1 or 2.

77%, 74%, 70% and 64% of women started while pregnant or breastfeeding were retained on ART at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after initiation, respectively.

9,509 (7%) of infants discharged alive from maternity were known to be HIV exposed, 9,086 (96%) of these received ARV prophylaxis (nevirapine).

A total of 14,647 HIV exposed children were newly enrolled for follow-up this quarter; 11,353 (78%) of these were enrolled before age 2 months.