Stakeholders in the health sector have been warned against diverting focus from diseases the country has been grappling with before coronavirus pandemic.

This has been said by PSI Malawi having observed how Malawi has lost focus on the fight against other due to Covid-19.

According to the reproductive health service delivery manager, it is worrisome to note how stakeholders have switched focus on other serious diseases like Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS.

Concurring with Population Services International (PSI) Malawi, vice chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/AIDS and Nutrition Darlington Harawa said there is need to continue sensitising the masses on other ailments and allocating much needed resources.

“It’s the issue of still raising the profile of HIV, because the coming of Covid-19 has overshadowed the existence of HIV so that alone has also twisted the focus of people.

“Instead of doing HIV/AIDS-related activities, they are now mainly doing on Covid-19, so we Members of Parliament (MPs) have said no we should still remind me that HIV/AIDS still exists and still requires attention in terms of funding and other resources,” said Harawa.

He added that its engagement with PSI Malawi is a step towards bring back the focus on other illnesses including HIV/AIDS.

“We have been meeting (PSI Malawi) for the first time they didn’t even know that we are flexible and open to them so that we should work together as partners.

“So that in that vein, we feel if we do our work properly the face of HIV/AIDS can still come back and people can start paying attention to HVI/AIDS issues,” said Harawa.