MPHIA Survey Researchers Struggling To Get Blood Samples From Some Participants-NSO

Isaac Chirwa: The prevalence is mainly in Towns

The National Statistical Office (NSO) has disclosed to the Parliamentary Committee on Nutrition, HIV and AIDS that the major obstacle in the ongoing survey ‘Population Based HIV/AIDS Assessment has been the unwillingness of some participants to allow researchers drawing blood samples from them.

NSO together with Centre for Social Research is carrying out two surveys in the country; Malawi Population Based HIV/AIDS Assessment (MPHIA) and Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (DHS).

Isaac Chirwa, Head of Demographic and Social Statistics Division at National Statistics Office (NSO) said although the study is going on smoothly, but the biggest challenge has been to convince some participants in the MPHIA survey that the blood samples being taken from them are for the noble cause.

“One of the major challenges is basically myths associated with drawing of blood. So, sometimes people will be unwilling to give their blood.” Said Chirwa in an interview after meeting with the Committee on Thursday 

“But we would like to implore the communities out there to understand that this is a Government sanctioned survey, and this information is going to help them as communities in the sense that Government will be able to do proper planning and come up with effective interventions for combating this HIV disease. So the communities are requested to be cooperative.” He pleaded

He disclosed that this challenge is generally taking place in both rural and urban areas as people believes the blood samples taken from them is going to be used in the wrong way.

“Actually I was even surprised that this problem is more prevalence in the urban than in the rural. People in the rural are even more cooperative than people in the urban.” Added Chirwa but said efforts are being made to civic educate people about the importance of the survey and a team is being sent ahead of the researchers to dispel fears people may have

Another problem that was noted but is said to be minor was difficulties in finding men in their homes during weekdays particularly in urban areas, but Chirwa said they are solving the problem by booking appointments with men during the weekends.

MPHIA study is among others mainly looking at population prevalence of HIV in the country, the efficacy of the HIV drugs that people are taking.

On Thursday, NSO was basically informing the committee about two surveys taking place in the country; Malawi Population Based HIV/AIDS Assessment (MPHIA) and Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (DHS).

The committee was informed of the objectives of the two studies and expected dates for the announcement of the results for the two studies. Chirwa said results for the DHS which has come to an end are expected to be out in May but for the MPHIA results are expected to come out probably in July or towards the end of the year. 

Both are random based national wide surveys targeting people of all backgrounds. However, MPH is mainly targeting almost all age groups while for DHS is only targeting the people age between 15 to 64.