Nsanje — Lack of knowledge among couples on issues of sero discordant has forced Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) to embark on couple HIV Testing and Counseling

(HTC) sensitization in churches in Nsanje district. MSF Patient Support Referent, Celine Leto said most couples hardly know that one can be HIV positive and the other one non-reactive which puts one of them at risk of contracting HIV virus.

Leto said the situation has forced them to start using church gatherings with a purpose of reaching out to more couples with HTC messages.

"It is a new initiative by MSF as we are aware that most couples are found in the churches and the idea is to make people aware of the importance of going for HTC as a couple.

There have been misconceptions among the couples when one is negative; they tend to conclude that the other one is also non-reactive.

"This has been contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country since they don't protect each other," Leto said.

The MSF Patient Support Referent believes that using church gatherings could help reach out to more couples with HTC messages.

"So far, we have been to Roman Catholic, Assemblies of God and Bwenzi Mwa Yesu churches and will be doing the same to other churches," she said.

She acknowledged that men take time to make decisions on HTC and she hopes through such an initiative, more men will be involved.

"Our general objective is to reduce the HIV infection. Once a couple has gone for HTC, it helps because when they test positive, they are introduced to Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) and if they are negative, they are sensitized on how they can avoid catching the virus," Leto said.

Medecins Sans Frontieres started its operations in 1997 in Malawi and is currently operating in Nsanje and Thyolo districts.

Meanwhile, the current HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Nsanje is at 16.3 per cent against the national 10.6 per cent.