HIV and TB

Counseling session

HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) is a program under the chronic care unit that focuses more on case finding or diagnosing and tracing to keep HIV and TB clients in care. HIV and TB coordinators conduct facility, community, and home visits to trace those who have missed clinic appointments, defaulted, or stopped treatment. The aim is to bring such clients back into care to continue with treatment

Our Impact

Since 2007, the HIV and TB program has provided a platform for 50,000 HIV tests and counseling sessions. Currently, 8766 people have been diagnosed with HIV and enrolled in care. Furthermore, 551 adolescents living with HIV are in enrolled in teen clubs, and through the program, PIH Malawi is supporting teen clubs across all 14 facilities in Neno monthly.

  • ONE
    HIV testing and counseling sessions

    Since 2007, 50,000 HIV testing and counseling sessions have been conducted. Currently, 8766 people have been diagnosed with HIV and enrolled into care. 

  • TWO
    Teen Clubs

    551 adolescents living with HIV are in teen clubs. 

  • THREE
    Supporting Teen clubs across the 14 facilities

    To support adolescents and children living with HIV, PIH Malawi supports teen clubs across all 14 facilities in Neno monthly.

The HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) program focuses more on case finding or diagnosing and tracing to keep clients in care. The team comprises an HIV Manager, Coordinator, HIV Diagnostic Assistants, TB Microscopists, and Expert Clients volunteering at PIH Malawi, HIV and TB officers, HIV and TB coordinators.  

Case finding is done through conducting HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B and C testing to diagnose if clients are positive. TB case finding is done by collecting sputum and referring those with TB signs and symptoms to analyze the sample collected under the microscope, gene X-pert machines, and chest X-ray at the radiology department.  

HIV and TB coordinators conduct facility, community, and home visits to trace those who have missed clinic appointments, defaulted, or stopped treatment. The aim is to bring such clients back into care to continue with treatment.  

HIV and TB officers together with HTS officers coordinate the activities of the entire HIV and TB program team.  

Starting in 2006, the Community Health Workers (CHWs) deployed by PIH Malawi used a patient-assigned accompaniment model with a focus on providing individual clients with accompaniment, education, and psychosocial support. With a desire to support the health of the community at a household level, decrease stigma, and increase social connections, starting in 2016 PIH/APZU transitioned to the Household Model with completion in 2018.  

The Household Model is a public health and accompaniment model that assigns CHWs to households with their scope broadened to encompass 8 key health areas for screening, referral, and disease management – HIV, TB, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), women’s and maternal health, child health and malnutrition. 

In an effort to support adolescents and children living with HIV, PIH Malawi supports teen clubs across all 14 facilities in Neno monthly. The teen clubs are platforms where the children are encouraged to adhere to medication, and are allowed to ask any question they want, but also made to feel they are not alone. Where need be, the HIV Officer works with the POSER team to provide food to teenagers so that they do not take their medication on an empty stomach.