HIV Outreach at Jali Market
In the heart of Malawi’s rural landscape, the bustling Jali market stands as a lively gathering place for economic activities which has become a focal point for our health initiatives aimed at promoting good health through HIV testing and counselling. On a bright and sunny Wednesday (7th August 2024), our counsellors set up a temporary HIV testing clinic at Jali market, a strategic move aimed at bringing essential health services closer to the people.
The decision to establish a tent in such a public and accessible space was intentional. Markets like Jali are frequented by a diverse cross section of the population, including farmers, traders and families from surrounding villages. By offering free HIV testing services in this setting, we aimed to reach as many people as possible, including those who might not typically visit a health facility due to distance, stigma or financial constraints.
The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive. From the moment we set up our tents, a steady stream of individuals, both young and old, approached the clinic with a mix of curiosity and determination. many came to understand their status for the first time, others sought reassurance in knowing that their previous test results remained unchanged, while others came to get condoms and self-HIV test kits. Our counsellors were on hand not only to provide HIV testing service but also pre- and post-testing counselling.
During our time at Jali market, we spoke with a young man, named Chikaiko Nema who lives in Mateketa village, and had come for business. He shared his thoughts on our HIV testing initiative, expressing his appreciation for bringing these services directly to the people. He explained that many people in rural areas struggle to access healthcare due to the distance and costs involved. He said “by providing this service in the market, its been easier for me to get tested. I don’t have to spend money for transport and more time to go to the hospital and I can do my business while taking care of my health in just few minutes”.
The young man was enthusiastic about our efforts and urged us to expand our outreach to his community as well. He emphasized the need for more initiatives like this, saying, “many people in my area would greatly benefit from having easier access to health services because the clinic that we can access this service is very far from our village and the clinic only provide this service once or twice a week”. He continued to say that, “this creates limited opportunities for people to get tested and this inconsistency creates long wait times and overcrowding, making it inconvenient for those who need to balance other responsibilities like work, business, farming or children”.
On this busy day, we tested 50 people of which one tested positive and we managed to take this person to the hospital and got linked on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). Apart from that, we distributed 35 quick test kits (self-test kits) and 576 condoms.