The Ministry of Health will introduce Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention treatment, in public health facilities starting July 1, Nyasa Times reports. Ministry of Health Secretary for Administration Bestone Chisamile confirmed that the six-monthly injection will complement existing prevention methods such as oral PrEP and condoms, according to Nyasa Times and Channel Africa. The official launch of the new preventive option will take place at the Area 25 Health Centre in Lilongwe and will be presided over by Health and Sanitation Minister Madalitso Baloyi, Nyasa Times notes.
In medical research news, a joint study by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) has identified a practical method to improve water safety in rural healthcare facilities, according to an RCSI statement. The SURG-Water project concluded that combining rainwater harvesting with solar water disinfection technology is the most economical way to supply clean water to maternity units in the Thyolo District, a measure intended to reduce maternal and neonatal infections in areas with limited resources.