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.

Malawi Inflation Down By 1.5% In March

February 2015 

Malawi has registered another improvement in the month of March as the inflation ease by 1.5% similar to last month rates.

The National Statistical Office on its website indicates Malawi Consumer Price Indices (CPI) Dashboard for March 2015 has registered a reduction as the headline inflation for March 2015 shows now stands at 18.2 percent a decrease of 1.5 percent from last month (February 2015) where the rates were at 19.7%

The decrease is also an improvement from headline inflation of 24.0 percent for the same period last year (March 2014).

NSO indicates this is a result of decrease in both food and non-food commodities. 

The urban and rural rates stand at 19.7 percent and 18.0 percent respectively from 22.5 percent and 19.0 percent respectively last in February.

Now, overall, food inflation stands at 17.0 percent from 19.0 percent in February 2015. Food inflation has decreased due to continuous low prices of various food items while the decrease in non-food inflation is still emanating from mainly the effects of decline in fuel prices.

Malawi Inflation Ease by 1.5% In February

The National Statistical Office (NSO) says February 2015 Malawi Consumer Price Indices (CPI) Dashboard is pegged at 19.7%.

The headline inflation for February 2015 stands at 19.7 percent compared to the headline inflation of 24.6 percent for the same period last year (February 2014). 

This figure show that, there is a decrease of 1.5 percent from last month (January 2015).

January Overall Inflation was at 21.20 while in the month of February was at 19.70

The urban and rural rates stand at 22.5 percent and 19.0 percent respectively.

Overall, food inflation stands at 19.0 percent from 21.5 percent in January 2015. 

"Although food prices have gone up the rate of increase is much lower than the corresponding rate in the same period last year, reads NSO statement "The decrease in non-food inflation is still emanating from mainly the effects of decline in fuel prices."

January Statistics Visavis February 

According to Reserve Bank of Malawi statistics:

January Overral Consumer Price Indices (CPI) was at 185.60 while in February is at 193.50

In the month of January, Food CPI was at 184.70 while February is at 195.00

January's Food Inflation was at 21.50 while February is at 19.00

This year's January Non-Food CPI was at 186.10 while in February is at 196.60

As of January 2015, Non-Food Inflation was at 20.80 while in February is at 20.40

Malawi Consumer Price Indices For September Stands At 23.7%

The National Statistical Office (NSO) has announced that the headline inflation for September 2014 stands at 23.7 percent compared to the headline inflation of 21.7 percent point from same period last year (September 2013).

This is a decline of 0.8 percent from last month (August 2014)before the inflation rate was 24.50 in August 2014 where Non-Food: 25.80 to Food: 24.00

According to NSO statement "The urban and rural rates stand at 30.9 percent and 19.8 percent respectively. Overall, food inflation stands at 22.7 percent from 24.1percent in August 2014."