Malawi losing four nurses to Aids every month

Malawi is currently losing four nurses to HIV and Aids related diseases every month, the National Association of Nurses of Malawi (NONM) has revealed

NONM president, Isabella Akunjawa Musisi, said that nurses and mid-wives in the country, just as the entire population, are succumbing to the HIV/Aids pandemic and related diseases.

"Based on reports from our membership we have found out that at least four nurses are dying every month," she said.

The nurses president bemoaned that the development was robbing the country of the already very few nurses and mid wives whose numbers at the moment should be increasing.

"In Malawi currently we have 7 000 nurses against a multitude of about 12 million people, a situation that puts our nurses at an awkward situation because the recommended patient- nurse ratio for maternity is 1- 6 and just it doesn't work with current numbers," said Musisi.

Malawi currently produces about 500 nurses mid wives per year but needs at least 2000 nurse midwives in order to cope with the current health problem.

The study, Musisi said, was designed to assess knowledge and perception of health care workers on voluntary counseling and testing, HIV/Aids training, risk of health care workers in the work environment, infection prevention practices, impact of HIV/Aids on care and support of patients amongst other things.

"The project was then designed to address the recommendations in terms of VCT, education and training in infection and HIV/Aids, prevention, care and support, lobbying and advocacy and networking," said Musisi.