Do not abandon ART programme—Shaba
Patients on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in the country have been advised not to stop taking the drugs for any reason.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disabilities and Social Welfare Mary Shaba said this during a World Aids Day commemoration organised by the Lilongwe City Council at Mbuka Primary School grounds.
She said taking ART is the only available remedy at the moment to combat HIV and Aids.
No belief should influence anyone to abscond ARV medication before a cure has been found, added Shaba.
She said abandoning ARTs could lead to the virus developing resistance leading to more infections
Shaba said there is hope that Malawi can further reduce infections by 2030.
Lilongwe City Council chief executive officer Moza Zeleza encouraged people to go for voluntary testing in line with WHO guidelines that everyone should know their status.
Recently, an International Conference on Aids and STIs in Africa (Icasa) agreed that everyone should know their status.
