U.S. doubles annual Malawi HIV/AIDS support to $45 million

The U.S. government recently announced a commitment to double its support for Malawi's efforts to fight HIV/AIDS to $45 million annually, Xinhua reports (Xinhua, 6/2).

The "Partnership Framework" was established after U.S. Ambassador to Malawi Peter Bodde and Malawi's Secretary to the Treasury Randson Mwadiwa signed a "landmark document" on May 18 that sets the foundation for a new framework for the U.S.-Malawi collaboration to combat HIV/AIDS, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Malawi.

The document calls for "increased focus on reducing new HIV infections, while maintaining ongoing activities aimed at improving the quality of treatment and care and mitigating the impacts on individuals and households," according to the release, which adds that objectives should be achieved within a context of "enhanced Malawian leadership and ownership of the overall response."

At the signing of the partnership, Bodde said the framework with Malawi "will serve as the model for those that follow in other countries" (Embassy of the U.S., Lilongwe, Malawi release). 

Malawi is the first country to sign an agreement with the U.S. following the 2008 reauthorization of PEPFAR. According to Xinhua, about 200,000 HIV-positive people in Malawi are receiving free antiretroviral treatments. There are about one million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country (Xinhua, 6/2).