The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)

The President's Emergency Plan aims to support treatment for at least two million people living with HIV/AIDS, prevent seven million new infections, and support care for 10 million people infected with and affected by HIV, including orphans and vulnerable children. The Emergency Plan works in over 120 countries around the world, with a special emphasis on 15 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. These countries—which are home to approximately 50 percent of HIV infections worldwide—are Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam and Zambia.

Malawi is classified as a non-focus country for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), receiving over $15 million annually to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Additionally, Malawi currently receives more Global Fund resources than any other country ($196 million) for malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Robust HIV/AIDS and infectious disease programming is a priority given their negative impact on development in every sector.

USAID is a major player in HIV/AIDS programs in Malawi. Approximately 15% of the adult population is HIV-infected. USAID’s programs complemented the efforts of the Government of Malawi (GOM), avoiding duplication and thus maximizing impact. USAID-supported projects in prevention, impact mitigation, and service expansion, and provided technical and policy support to the GOM treatment efforts. USAID prevention activities clustered around the "ABC" (abstinence, be faithful to one partner, condom use) of HIV prevention. In the area of prevention, emphasis was on behavior change communication campaigns in support of A and B, and on condom social marketing.

USAID partners with faith-based and community-based organizations to prevent HIV transmission. USAID’s partners engaged religious leaders and existing community structures such as chiefs’ councils, women’s guilds and networks of traditional initiators, strengthening their capacity to implement effective behavior change interventions. They produced effective, appropriate and creative communications and media, and undertook prevention outreach activities that emphasized abstinence and behavior change, including getting tested for HIV.

Click here to read more about PEPFAR worldwide...