As Malawi commences its term as a newly elected member of the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), the President and First Lady have emphasized their commitment to leading the AIDS response in the country and ending AIDS by 2030.

The President and First Lady of Malawi expressed their commitment to Malawi's PCB membership, and to work towards a strong Political Declaration at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, which will take place in June 2016 Meeting, during discussions with UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Jan Beagle. Ms Beagle is visiting Malawi and meeting with stakeholders from the government, civil society and international partners to prepare the Malawi’s participation at the PCB for the 2016–2018 term and UN High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS.

In 2014, an estimated 1.1 million people were living with HIV in Malawi, the prevalence rate being 10%—one of the highest in east and southern Africa. However, Malawi is making significant strides in scaling up its response, including by being the first country in the region to officially endorse the 90–90–90 treatment target in its national strategic AIDS plan.

The results have been significant. According to latest national data, some 600 000 Malawians are estimated to be receiving antiretroviral therapy and the number of annual new HIV infections has been reduced from 89 000 in 2004 to 42 000 in 2014. Moreover, Malawi’s bold decision in 2011 to implement option B+, the approach that recommends starting treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV regardless of CD4 count, resulted in a sevenfold increase in the number of women initiated on antiretroviral therapy and a decrease of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 66%, according to latest government data.

In discussions with Ms Beagle, President Arthur Peter Mutharika recognized the critical importance of UNAIDS’ support to ensuring that Malawi’s HIV response is supported by one of the largest grants made by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. President Mutharika also stressed that he looked forward to a strong outcome from the upcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS.

The First Lady of Malawi, Gertrude Mutharika, reflected on the priorities for her country’s PCB membership and the High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. The First Lady and Ms Beagle also discussed opportunities for leveraging her role as Vice-Chair of the Organisation of African First Ladies against AIDS to help enable the AIDS response in Malawi and beyond to be Fast-Tracked.

Welcoming Malawi to PCB membership, Ms Beagle commended Malawi on the political leadership shown by the early adoption of option B+, as well as the integration of the prevention targets in the national strategic plan, emphasizing that such examples of leadership can help ensure bold outcomes at the High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in June.