UNC Project Malawi

09/12/2025

Former UNC Project Malawi Country Director Prof. Francis Martinson meets Dr. Friday Saidi at the 23rd edition of ICASA — the International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa. The conference took place 3–8 December 2025 in Accra, Ghana. Hosted by Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA), the gathering convened thousands of delegates — including scientists, health professionals, policymakers, civil society, and community advocates — from across Africa and beyond. The conference’s theme, “Africa in Action: Catalysing Integrated Sustainable Responses to End AIDS,

08/12/2025

PUBLICATION:

We are pleased to share findings from our retrospective cohort study on the diagnostic adequacy of adult bone marrow biopsies at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, covering the period from 2012 to 2024.
The review of 602 adult bone marrow samples showed a high diagnostic yield of 85 percent. Among samples taken for diagnostic purposes, 39 percent revealed new malignancies, with acute leukemias and lymphomas being the most common. Anaemia was the leading clinical indication for bone marrow sampling.

We congratulate Edwards Kasonkanji for leading this manuscript.

The African Journal of Laboratory Medicine focuses on the role of the laboratory and its professionals in the clinical and public healthcare sectors, and is specifically based on an African frame of reference.

04/12/2025

PUBLICATION:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10461-025-04937-y

PrEP uptake is rising—but staying on PrEP is the real crisis. 📉 New data from an STI clinic in Lilongwe shows only 4% of clients remained on PrEP by 6 months. Persistence varies by age and risk, and re-engagement is low. We must rethink how we support long-term PrEP use in Africa.

Congratulations to the STI team for this evaluation of the Malawi Oral PrEP program at the Bwaila STI clinic.

The integration of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) into STI services can improve PrEP uptake among a population at elevated risk of acquiring HIV. The effectiveness of PrEP relies on ongoing coverage during periods of HIV risk, however, and little is known about longitudinal PrEP use among peopl...

01/12/2025

This morning, in conjunction with other organisations, we joined the Lilongwe City World AIDS Day Candlelight event held outside the Lilongwe Main Market Square. Through our pavilion, we engaged the public and shared insights about our research, especially studies related to HIV.

01/12/2025

We join the whole world in commemorating the World Aids Day.

20/11/2025

Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP): Gonorrhoea Treatment Optimization, 2025 Report
Proud moment for us! Our STI team at UNC Project Malawi contributed to this important global report through their field activities and data.
Huge congratulations to the entire team for their dedication and impactful work!

18/11/2025

This afternoon we wrapped up the training for the PACMAN arm of the PRISM study, which ran from yesterday, 17 November, to today, 18 November. Participants were drawn from health facilities involved in the study.

14/11/2025

We recently celebrated our clinical research unit, recognizing our clinical trial sites and all the incredible impact our members have made. To recognize their outstanding accomplishments, we hosted a celebratory event catered by The Purple Bowl
UNC Department of Medicine UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health UNC Project Malawi
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Read more here: https://go.unc.edu/Zy72E

14/11/2025

Congratulations to our Assistant Professor Friday Saidi and the MyChoice team on the recent publication of the MyChoice protocol paper. Protocol papers outline how a study will be conducted and are valuable references when writing the primary manuscript, as methodological details can be drawn directly from the protocol publication. Have a lovely weekend!

Background: HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has potential for preventing HIV during the perinatal period, but few strategies promote person-centered shared decision-making (SDM) about PrEP use in these contexts. The MyChoice study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriatene...

07/11/2025

Today, we bid farewell to Mr. Tchangani Tembo, who has served with UNC Project Malawi for 25 years, since October 2000, contributing to various HIV research initiatives. We wish Mr. Tembo all the best in his retirement and future endeavors.

05/11/2025

PUBLICATION:
Congratulations to the Tonse Pamodzi team on another publication. The manuscript explores the alignment between HIV exposure risk and oral PrEP adherence, measured by Tenofovir concentration. Findings show that alignment between risk and adherence was just over 50% at 3 and 6 months, while individuals at higher risk had misalignment exceeding 60% during the same period. The authors note that the relationship between risk and adherence is dynamic, underscoring the need to continue emphasizing adherence during periods of higher HIV exposure risk.

Objective When measured continuously, adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is consistently low in studies of pregnant and postpartum women. We investigated how PrEP adherence aligned with HIV exposure risk. Methods We conducted a trial of a PrEP adherence support intervention in Lilongwe...

31/10/2025

This afternoon marks the conclusion of the 'Dolo wa Prep' training for navigators under the Path to Scale, PERSIST Trial, which has been running since Monday, 27 October 2025. Thirty participants have successfully completed their training and will now be deployed to various health facilities. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of a bundle of strategies designed to support continued use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), including long-acting injectable cabotegravir and oral PrEP, among high-priority groups