National Steering Committee meeting for People Who Use and Inject Drugs in the Republic
of Malawi
Members of the the National Steering Committee on People Who Use and Inject Drugs (PWUID) with UNODC Chief HIV/AIDS section & Global Coordinator for HIV, Ms. Fariba Soltani and Mr. Gunasekaran Rengaswamy, Regional Adviser, HIV/AIDS Prevention and care
Lilongwe, Malawi, 20 August 2024 — The National Steering Committee on People Who Use and Inject Drugs (PWUID) Programming convened at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Offices in Lilongwe to discuss harm reduction programming in Malawi. This important meeting was needed to strategize for the scaling up of harm reduction programming in Malawi. The meeting began with welcoming remarks from the committee Chairperson, Mrs. Chimwemwe Mablekisi and National AIDS Commission (NAC) who also moderated the session. Honourable Dr. Matthews Ngwale, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health provided important insights on HIV and drug issues, including the need for evidence-based interventions for PWUID. UNODC Chief HIV/AIDS section & Global Coordinator for HIV, Ms. Fariba Soltani and Dr. Andrina Mwansambo, Head of HIV Prevention and Management at National AIDS Commission highlighted the significance of sustainable government and international support for harm reduction programming, including for expanding these critical services in Malawi.
In 2022 alone, more than 8000 people injected drugs and in 2020, HIV prevalence among sex workers were 49.9%. This meeting of the National Steering Committee on PWUID came at a time where in urgent conversation is needed to scale up and intensify harm reduction programming in Malawi. Stakeholders who attended the meeting agreed that together with UNODC’s initial technical support, a solid foundation for harm reduction programming was formed through sensitization and capacity building, and that the time has come for Malawi to be purposeful in its efforts to increase harm reduction.
Dr. David Chilongozi of FHI360, in agreement with previous speakers, emphasized that Malawi needs to intensify its efforts towards harm reduction programming and Mr. Buthelezi Mvula of World Vision Malawi, provided general updates on progress in harm reduction programming and the updates that were shared by Mr. Mvula assisted in taking stock of the status of harm reduction in Malawi. Mr. Alexander Kampheta of the Centre for Key Populations Rights shared practical updates, including key activities, from the PWUID Network focusing on the urgency to scale up harm reduction programmes in response to a pressing drug use problem.
The meeting consisted of robust discussions on pertinent issues such as addressing challenges and innovative strategies towards strengthening harm reduction in Malawi. The discussions led by Dr. Mwansambo helped formulate the actions to be implemented after the meeting.
UNODC Regional Adviser HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care in Southern Africa, Mr. Gunasekaran Rengaswamy, provided closing remarks and emphasized the need for ongoing collaboration to enhance harm reduction efforts. The UNODC will undertake several actions together with stakeholders to enhance harm reduction programming, including other drug issues in Malawi. Some of the key initiatives will include a legal and policy review of HIV/AIDS and drugs, advocating with International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to lower legal drug costs and encouraging local production, including providing HIV and drug capacity-building training for local Civil Society Organizations and correctional officials.
UNODC together with stakeholders in Malawi will collaborate with law enforcement and high-level officials to tackle structural barriers preventing scaling up of harm reduction programming and increasing focus on the magnitude of these health issues. UNODC will also engage in high-level advocacy with SADC, African Union and Global Fund for harm reduction support and organize a side event at the next Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The meeting of the National Steering Committee for PWUID was an important activity to accelerate harm reduction programming in Malawi and stakeholders who attended the meeting agreed that the meeting was a valuable opportunity to analyse and discuss pertinent issues. One meeting delegate stated: “This meeting assisted the National Steering Committee to delve into critical challenges relating to developing harm reduction programmes in Malawi. The meeting, including fruitful discussions, will bolster the implementation of harm reduction programmes.”
