Karonga men dump wives because of HIV

Wives living with HIV virus in Malawi’s northern district of Karonga are reportedly been divorced by their husbands who are instead marrying other wives. Statistics show that 15 women have so far been divorced for the past six months.

One of the victimized women Maliya Simbeye of Group Village Headman Lasha in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu told Nyasa Times her husband left her once he discovered that she was tested HIV positive.

“It was in February this year when I was tested HIV positive and when I informed my husband about my status he chased me out of his house saying I am a prostitute and he cannot be with me,” said Simbeye.

She is currently staying with her parents in group village headman Mwandwanga area where she says is struggling to make ends meet.

“As of now I am staying with my aged parents at Mwandwanga village and my former husband doesn’t even give me any help as his wife. And worse still he has already married another wife a thing which is preventing me from going to his house again,” said Simbeye.

Simbeye said she reported the matter to Malawi Center for Advice Research and Rehabilitation (CARER) a human rights organization, two months ago but she is not being assisted.

Malawi CARER officer in Karonga Felix Katemula agreed having receiving complaints from Simbeye.

“Indeed many women come here with various issues concerning domestic violence. Cases of women being left by their husbands because of HIV/AIDS are very serious ones here in Karonga,” said Katemula.

He said this year alone over 15 women had complained to them that their husband have left them because they have the virus.

The Malawi CARER official blamed government for doing nothing on the case when reported to them.

“When we receive these cases we report them to social welfare and department of victim support unit of police to give a helping hand but they don’t respond, a thing that is making this issue very challenging to deal with because as for us we have tried but things are not changing,” said Katemula.

He then pleaded with well wishers and organizations to help solving the problem in Karonga saying the issue needs the solution immediately.

in a related development recently, a man of Group Village Headman Karombo T/A Kyungu has committed suicide when he found out that his wife was tested HIV positive.

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