The Malawi Network of People Living with HIV (Manet Plus) says the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) policy of excluding people with HIV during recruitment was wrong.
Manet Plus Executive Director Lawrence Khonyongwa disclosed that a number of HIV- positive people had written the organisation after they were excluded from military recruitment due to their health status.
“People with HIV deserve equal opportunities and there is no justification for the MDF to be sidelining them,” he said.
When contacted, MDF Spokesperson, Emmanuel Mlelemba, said Manet Plus could have first engaged them on the issue before going to the media.Medical fitness is mandatory in the MDF recruitment policy.
And in 2018, MDF made it official that recruits must undergo mandatory HIV testing to ensure national security.
