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About

Funded in May 2020 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Blantyre Prevention Strategy (BPS) was co-developed by the Government of Malawi, the Center for Innovation in Global Health, and a consortium of local and international partners. BPS has become a model of strengthening district-level health systems for locally led, sustainable HIV prevention responses. BPS arose from a shared understanding that Malawi needed a new approach to address its HIV epidemic, particularly in its Southern Region. The project supports the development of an optimal system for the sustained prevention of HIV infection that is fully embedded in local structures. BPS has invested in the existing public health system in Blantyre District, embedding critical functions needed for HIV prevention while building the relationships and strengthening the structures to support optimized HIV prevention service delivery.

Our Work

Since 2020, through BPS, an innovative and data-driven HIV prevention model has been fostered in Blantyre District, institutionalizing HIV prevention as a cohesive, effective, and sustainable country-led response with coordinated external support. BPS has supported the district in creating a coherent local management system that is able to deploy HIV prevention services and tools more effectively by:​

  • Detecting risk factors within, and prioritizing and tailoring services to,, individual communities using timely and high-quality data.​
  • Generating demand for HIV prevention by collecting community insights and raising local awareness.​
  • Effectively delivering quality and accessible prevention products and interventions.​​
  • Supporting sustained use of prevention products through periods of risk.

It is defining and operationalizing key functions necessary for an effective, sustainable, district-led HIV prevention response and has produced rich learnings from Blantyre’s prevention programs that have meaningfully informed national plans. BPS is building a replicable model for district-based HIV prevention and embedding long-term functions for combating HIV for a country-led sustainable response.

In 2023, several BPS program elements were adapted to Lilongwe District to support introduction of injectable PrEP through the PathToScale injectable PrEP implementation science initiative. In 2025, the National AIDS Commission launched a multi-sectoral working group to support adaptation of the BPS model in three additional districts. In addition, an adaptation toolkit is under development to support adaptation in Malawi and beyond. Expected launch is mid-2026.

More information about the project’s model and outcomes, including publications and conference satellite videos, is available at: https://www.blantyrepreventionstrategy.com/learn-more.

Our Team

Charles Holmes Headshot

Charles Holmes Director

Sara Allinder Headshot

Sara Allinder Deputy Director

Betha Igbinosun Headshot

Betha Igbinosun Associate

Dana Morcillo Headshot

Dana Morcillo Program Coordinator

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