Malawi Integrated HIV Program Report 2021 Q1

Program performance highlights by the end of March 2021 include:

• Scale-up of integrated HIV services had reached the following number of sites:
  • 724 static and 154 outreach HIV testing sites.
  • 760 (static) ART sites; 605 of these started at least one pregnant or breastfeeding woman.
  • 699 sites with HIV-exposed children in follow-up.
• 670,567 persons were tested for HIV by a trained provider and received their results; 131,552 (20%) accessed HIV testing for the first time; 539,015 (80%) were repeat testers and 22,296 (4%) of these received confirmatory testing (after having tested positive in the past). 20,078 (3.1%) clients received a positive result for the first time.
• A total of 104,724 people received 173,272 self-test kits; 77,033 (44%) of these were for use by the recipient and 96,239 (56%) for onward distribution to sex partners or other people.
• 18,193 (97%) of 18,802 blood units collected were screened for (at least) HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
• A cumulative total of 825 clients were referred for PrEP eligibility screening and 544 (66%) were found eligible. 277 newly started PrEP and 177 clients were retained on PrEP at the end of the quarter.
• 155,575 (99%) of 157,743 women at ANC had their HIV status ascertained; 10,724 (7%) of these were HIV positive. 131,564 (95%) of 139,169 at maternity had their HIV status ascertained 9,387 (7%) of these were HIV positive.
• 19,682 patients started ART this quarter; 79% were classified as asymptomatic / in WHO stage 1 and started under the “Test & Treat” policy.
• 871,098 patients were alive and on ART by end of March 2021.2 This means that 88% of the estimated 986,671 HIV positive population was on ART. 3 ART coverage was 78% (44,960/ 57,530) for children4 and 89% (826,138 / 929,141) for adults.
• 136,281 (95%) of 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 77% and 96%, respectively.
• 73% of adults and 76% of children were retained alive on ART at 12 months after initiation.
• Out of 851,998 patients on first line adult ART 817,888 (97%) had transitioned to TDF/3TC/DTG and only 4,388 (1%) were on TDF/3TC/EFV.