Malawian civil servants with HIV are to be given a pay rise by the government.
Malawian civil servants with HIV are to be given a pay rise by the government.
Health Minister Marjorie Ngaunjeb said all civil servants affected by the disease would receive an extra $35 a month to help them buy more food.
Health Minister Marjorie Ngaunjeb said all civil servants affected by the disease would receive an extra $35 a month to help them buy more food.
"We thought [it] would go a long way in improving their nutritional requirements which are essential to their wellbeing," she told Reuters.
"We thought [it] would go a long way in improving their nutritional requirements which are essential to their wellbeing," she told Reuters.
Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year with about 7% of the 13m population infected.
Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year with about 7% of the 13m population infected.
Another government official said that the extra money should help those with HIV prolong their lives.
Another government official said that the extra money should help those with HIV prolong their lives.
Losing large numbers of trained staff is a major problem for the countries worst affected by HIV/Aids, such as Malawi.
Losing large numbers of trained staff is a major problem for the countries worst affected by HIV/Aids, such as Malawi.
The BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says the government is the country's largest employer with about 120,000 civil servants.
The BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre says the government is the country's largest employer with about 120,000 civil servants.
Their monthly salaries average about $70, AFP news agency reports.
Their monthly salaries average about $70, AFP news agency reports.
After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis in 2004, when a programme to tackle HIV/Aids was launched.
After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis in 2004, when a programme to tackle HIV/Aids was launched.
Then President Bakili Muluzi revealed that his brother had died from the disease.
Then President Bakili Muluzi revealed that his brother had died from the disease.
Last year, the government called on all sexually active people in the country to take an Aids test.
Last year, the government called on all sexually active people in the country to take an Aids test.
The UN estimates that 80% of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa do not know they have the virus.
The UN estimates that 80% of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa do not know they have the virus.
Are you in Malawi? What do you think about this pay rise? Will you be affected? Use the form below to send us your comments and share your experiences.
Are you in Malawi? What do you think about this pay rise? Will you be affected? Use the form below to send us your comments and share your experiences.
Things will change for the better. Most of these civil servants do receive little monthly salaries that they even do fail to support their families. Indeed this extra money will help those with HIV to prolong their lives. It will be used to cater for extra transport costs to the clinics where they do go for medication, at the same time helping them to buy nutritious food for their bodies. This will also encourage those who were scared to be thrown out of work to declare their status, and those who do not know to go for voluntary HIV testing. In such a way the virus will be prevented.Kissa Mwakibinga, Lilongwe, Malawi
This is a good initiative but I wish the money were given inform of a package of nutritious food supplements rather than real money because given the numerous needs of many Malawian civil servants, that money may not necessarily buy food thus compromising on the intended purpose.Wisdom Changadeya, Zomba
This is a good move by the government. However, some of the affected people will use the extra money to engage in extra sexual activities thereby increasing the number of infected people.Rexford Gwape, Blantyre, Malawi.
It's better to assist those who are not working and they are infected. A lot of people in villages are suffering from this disease and they are not fully assisted so it's better to assist these ones than the ones working.Hans Maga'asi, Malawi
The government of Malawi is in the right direction by increasing salaries for the HIV infected because it will indeed help them get enough food needed to add value to their health. The only thing is that the relevant authorities must watch out for abuse of this well intended increment.Dereck D Kamanga, Kitwe, Zambia
In my opinion, I think the idea is a good one. The question is, don't you see a situation where one who is negative, getting a peanut civil service salary would take advantage of the corruption mechanisms in sub-Sahara to ensure that he declares forms showing him/her as being positive for the sake of making extra income? Peter Mupeta, Zambia
