National Aids Commission (Nac) has lauded the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) for scaling up the fight against HIV and Aids through its numerous interventions and activities.

Nac Executive Director Thomas Bisika has praised MDF for showing tremendous improvement in the areas of uptake of interventions such as voluntary counselling and testing and reduced stigma within the force.

"We are receiving reports that there is less stigma, which means that people within the force are positively receiving the messages on HIV and Aids," said Bisika.

He made the observation on Friday in Lilongwe when his organisation handed over a vehicle to MDF to be using in its programmes in the fight against the pandemic.

MDF commander, General Henry Odillo, concurred with Nac boss, saying in the past it was almost a taboo for people to talk about Aids in public, a development that resulted in many deaths because of denial.

The vehicle is an addition to two ambulances which NAC donated to MDF for the same purpose in the past.