Guidelines for the use of Antiretroviral Therapy in Malawi

Malawi's national HIV treatment guidelines document was published in 2008. This document presents a national approach that integrates the principles of ART for adults, pregnant women and children. Treatment criteria for adults include CD4 counts below 250 or clinical stage 3 or 4 of the disease. Infants under one year old—regardless of clinical or immunologic status —and children over the age of one and advanced or “severe” immune suppression, as defined by age-related CD4 percentage count (according to WHO criteria), are eligible for treatment.  These guidelines also recommend a second treatment option should first line treatment fail. Post-exposure prophylaxis, presence of malignancies, and co-infection with TB and viral hepatitis are also included in this document.