Living with HIV

Meet Joseph Chiutula, a person living with HIV who has been on Antiretroviral drugs(ARVs) for 32 years and is not ashamed to share his story! Born in 1952, Chiutula tested HIV positive in 1992 following a series of chronic sickness. Just like most people, Chiutula could not believe the results and lived in denial.

“ I used to hear about HIV and people contacting the virus but never thought I could be one of them.” He added
“I was not convinced by the results, I decided to go to Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO ) and the results came out the same. I still denied the results and went to Namwera healthy centre and the results did not change.” He continued.

Having gone for HIV testing thrice, Chiutula decided to accept his fate and started taking ARVs.This marked the beginning of another beautiful journey.

“I refrected back on my ways and knew how I contracted the virus, ndinali hule lalimuna( I was a womanizer), I conviced myself to adhere to ARVs ” he Said
Unlike most people, Chiutula did not keep the news to himself but told his accomplices who were also having concurrent sexual partners to go for testing but they laughed it off.

“I had four friends who I knew they would likely test positive because we were womanizing together, they never took my advice, they all died after prolonged sickness” Recalls Chiutula.
Chiutula went further to tell his relatives of his status which he says liberated him to take the ARVs without shame.

He later on married his wife who was also HIV positive and decided to walk the road with no shame together.
Chiutula pointed out that stigma was one of the highest battle he faught and it was the main reason others feared to go for HIV testing let alone revealing their HIV serostatus.
HIV prevalence increasingly continued to rise in Namwera and Mngochi district at large. In 1996, a committee was established to senstise communities on HIV related issues. This was NAmwera Aids Coordinating Committee which later grew to an organization and rebranded to Needed Actions for Community Care and Development-NACC.

NACC facilitated establishment of Village Aids Committees(VAC) which sensitized communities on HIV issues. NACC also facilitated establishment of support groups meant for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to provide peer support to each other.

Among the established support groups wqs Chingwenya support group which had 8 members. Chiutula did not hestate to join the group and he was the only male in the group.
“NACC sensitized the group on the proper uptake of medicine and how to eat a balanced diet food” He narrates.

Despite this, Chiutula says they still faced discrimination even for belong to the support groups. Through the VACC, NACC however it provided HIV education to communities and conducted community outreach as a way of increasing knowledge on HIV testing and alleviate issues of misconceptions on people living with HIV/AIDS.
Through mentorship provided by NACC Chiutula continued to stand up against stigma and led others in fighting struggles related to HIV as the chair for Chingwenya support group. At the support group, Chiutula says they sensitize the members to on proper condom usage, drug adherence, nutrition, how to protect other family members from the virus and many more.

Chiutula says he has always lived his talk when it comes to HIV related issues.
“In my household, I do advise my family to use protective measures like wearing gloves once one is injured, if the gloves run out I use plastic papers to help someone who is injured including my wife, of reducing the risk of contamination of blood” he narrates.

With his consistent drug ahrerence and positive living, Chiutula said he has never been seriously ill since he started taking ARVs
“I have never faced medical issues ever since I started taking ARVs aside from flu and cough” He proudly said.
Joseph chutula’s story has inspired and moved a majority of people in Mangochi district, He is an advocate for destigmatizing HIV/AIDS, empowers others to speak out and seek support without fear of judgement.
“I encourage people living with HIV should not skip as well as stop taking the Antiretroviral medication(ARV), this is because the HIV medication can significantly lower one’s viral load if not taken correctly as well as seek medical checkups from time to time in order to know their viral load. And to those who are not HIV positive should continue taking care of themselves, he advises.

Meanwhile, Chiutula is an expert client at Namwera hospital and has helped many people living with HIV heal from depression, tracked drug defaulters and those showing symptoms test for HIV.