PMTCT

PASADA AT THE CHILDREN AND HIV SYMPOSIUM

The PASADA PMTCT Team Participated at the just ended Children and HIV Symposium which took place from the 15th to 16th of July, 2016.
The Symposium was organized by the The Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS and The Teresa Group.
It was an affiliated event of the 21st International AIDS Conference which took place at the Durban International Convention Center from the 18th to 22nd of July 2016.
 The theme of the meeting was "Children and HIV: Equity Now!Reaching all children in the epidemic"
PASADA gave two presentations on;
1. THE ROLE OF MOM TO MOM VOLUNTEERS IN RETAINING CLIENTS IN PMTCT CLINICS AND OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO EARLY STARTING OF CHILDREN ON ART IN RURAL PWANI REGION OF TANZANIA by Sr. Tegemea Chanafi
2.  COLLABORATION BETWEEN PMTCT AND KEY POPULATION PROGRAMS:THE KEY IN REACHING eMTCT TO KEY  POPULATIONS by Sr. Annette Baguma

This was the first time PASADA was represented by Nurses in an International Conference.

For further reading follow the link here; Chanafi and Annette

PMTCT CASE STUDY

The Impact of Integration of ART in RCH: A success story from a mother who benefited 

"I am a female of 41 years old, I came to PASADA for HIV testing in 2013. I decided to undergo  testing after becoming pregnant as I was often falling sick.

I tested positive for HIV. I was counseled on the need to be enrolled into PMTCT program. Immediately I was put on Septrin . They checked me for  CD4 count and other baseline investigations then enrolled on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). I delivered a healthy baby at Temeke Hospital  and continued with care at St. Francis Xavier Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) Clinic -Chang’ombe which is under the support of PASADA. After delivery my son was given Nevirapine syrup (A drug used as prophylaxis for HIV exposed infants) .

I am happy that when my son reached 6 weeks ,he  tested negative  for HIV using the DNA/ PCR test. He was started on Septrin while on exclusive breast feeding options up to one year. 

Six weeks after cessation of breastfeeding my baby was tested for  HIV infection and I am grateful to the program, Health Care Workers and God the result was again negative."

The integration of PMTCT services into RCH has given us a lot of advantages. Some of the benefits mothers get as a result of services reconciliation are as follows;

·      1. They get services under one roof. There is no need to attend two clinics at the same time which might be at two different points and populations

·      2. Mothers and their babies get all the medicines we need at the same time

·      3.  There is no feelings of stigma as they are not mixed with other women who are not living with HIV/AIDS, which promotes adherence

·       4. When they meet they share their stories as we all have the same status

·       5. They now get HIV free children

·     6.  Life expectancy of their children is now expected to be long

·       7. Early initiation of ARV make them avoid stigma as it becomes difficult to be easily recognized as the result of improved health.

      Despite of the above success there is still a challenge as the client points out here under;

·       

"One thing which troubles me is the refusal of my husband to go for HIV testing, I am not happy with my marriage . I am depressed as I am on ART while my husband is not. I am scared of being re-infected with another HIV serotype as we have unprotected sex  as my husband have also rejected to use of condoms. I do not enjoy sex at all. Am afraid that re-infection might compromise my health and I can eventually die leaving behind my 3 years old boy helpless."

HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS PERCEPTION ON THE INTEGRATION OF SERVICES

Dr. Anna Majulleh, the PMTCT program coordinator at PASADA has the following to share;

"The integration of PMTCT into RCH has the positive impact in the following ways;

·        1. Time saving due to the provision of "TWO IN ONE" services

·        2.  Reduced stigma and discrimination as women interact freely because they are all of the same status.

·         3. There is  evidence of freedom and peace of mind at the RCH

·         4.  Integration of services has reduced defaulters"

   

      LESSONS TO BE LEARNED 

      1. Integration of ART services into PMTCT services is the ideal model for provision of prevention mother to child transmission of HIV

      2. For the successes so far achieved male involvement needs to be strengthened for complete cessation of HIV transmission to new born