It has been observed that men are shunning away from the Oral HIV self-testing initiative which is being carried out by the Malawi-Liverpool Welcome Trust and London School of Hygiene and the Tropical Medicine.
The research which is being carried in the high density townships of Chilomoni, Ndirande and Kabula in Blantyre started in 2012 and has seen more women embracing the idea.
Malawi Liverpool-Welcome Trust Research assistant, Augustine Choko, said the initiative has received overwhelming response of around 84 percent.
“Out of the adult population of 16, 660 ( 16 years and above), 12,568 have done safe-testing representing 77 percent. Its more women who are taking up the trial safe-testing than men,” he said.
He further disclosed that a comparison made in 2010 between rapid testing kit-blood test and Oral safe-testing kit revealed that the latter was more effective.
Malawi Liverpool Trust and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are working in partnership with College of Medicine and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine on the study.
