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.
I am a Malawian working in the Ministry of Agriculture. Honestly, I feel this is a good move by government to support the infected most of whose salaries are not enough to buy them basic needs. However, I am not quite sure if people will be willing to come in the open because the major reason why they do not reveal their zero-status is stigma and discrimination. With this respect, many affected civil servants may not go for it because that will entail coming in the open and ask for the increment. Unless other means are put in place to ensure privacy of the affected am still seeing many people not going for it.Owen Sopo, Lilongwe
I am a Malawian studying in the USA. This raise is the best thing the government has done in a long time. I am so proud of my country and more than glad to call it home. Go Malawi!Patience Mbamba, Mobile, Alabama, USA
I really support the move of the Malawian authority to increase the salaries of their civil servants affected by HIV virus by $35. But looking at number of people affected by virus in that country I suggest the authority provide a home for all the victims and not only civil servant because they all have right to national cake.David Caradoman Gomez, Fallah Village ,The Gambia
I totally agree with what the government has done. Civil servants in Malawi are the most lowly paid hence most of them die not because of the disease but failure of their bodies to cope with nutritional requirements. I feel may be they could have been given a nutritional starter pack because some might spend the same money on beer thereby shortening their life further.Thom Mfune, Blantyre, Malawi
I think this is positive and as a Malawian I am pleased with this move. I would however ask government to consider what assistance can be rendered to the rural poor who I must say need more help than the civil servants. In addition I think another challenge is for civil servants with HIV to come in the open for them to be eligible for the extra $35. I know most people are reluctant to declare their status. Pacharo, Lilongwe
The pay rise is very recommendable to those affected but the government must pay it separately to make it tax free otherwise the money will go straight to Pay As you Earn so that it can not benefit the affected ones.Samuel Bwanausi, Mulanje, Malawi
I think this is a bad move by the government of Malawi our country being one of the poorest in the continent this will only push civil servants in this country to get infected by this virus in order for them to get this money $35 is a lot of money even to a middle class working family in Malawi if the government want to help people with nutritional support they should look at other means like food program not by giving them money. Robert, Malawi
I personally welcome this. I have relatives who are on ARV therapy and are working in the civil service; this extra pay will help them buy nutritious food and prolong their life. Poverty kills more people with HIV than opportunistic diseases do. In Malawi $35 = MK5000.00 is reasonably good amount for an average Malawian and I request the Malawi government to also consider distributing food rations to poor unemployed Malawians who are on ARV therapy.C.S Kaunda, Blantyre, Malawi
This is a welcome development for a country like Malawi but I would have loved if this also targeted poor people in our remote areas and can not afford the said nutritious food as they live under the poverty line.Jonas Kachikho, Blantyre, Malawi
If there are funds available, I think I agree with Hans Magalasi, that the Govt should help those without jobs in villages. This is where good nutrition is hard or impossible to attain for most people. How about orphans that have no parents? I think those are the ones to be considered first. Chabwachabwa, Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada
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
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 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.
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
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
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
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
