2 support groups focus on PMTCT
During a recent meeting…
with the Isiolo County hospital management team, Kiunga project officer Mbae Leon learned that over 40% of the county’s pregnant mothers living with HIV deliver their children at home. He took immediate action to begin addressing this practice at the grassroots level.
Leon worked to group 66 expectant and lactating mothers into dedicated support groups. He then facilitated health personnel from the Government of Kenya (GOK) to train the groups on prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT).
PMTCT of HIV refers to interventions that prevent transmission of HIV from a mother living with HIV to her infant during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or during breastfeeding. These interventions have the potential to reduce mother-to-child transmission risk to 5% or lower, and consist of a cascade of services that include:
HIV testing and counseling
Antiretroviral therapy (ART)
Safe delivery
Safer infant feeding
Postpartum interventions in the context of ongoing ART
Early infant diagnosis and final diagnosis for HIV-exposed infants
Linking both the mother and child to appropriate care and treatment **
In the support groups, it was discovered that the majority of participants were aware that transmission from mother to child could be prevented, but that they did not have knowledge or understanding of how HIV is transmitted during pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding. The majority of the women were also not aware of the importance of adhering to their own ART as a preventative measure to avoid mother-to-child transmission.
Based on this, it was determined that the health personnel from the GOK would continue to join the support groups to provide clear information on PMTCT activities. In the initial meetings, they emphasized the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, highly discouraged home deliveries and explained the importance of delivering at the nearby health facilities instead.
We were able to respond quickly and effectively to a pressing need in the community because of the generous support of our donors and the creativity and competence (which happen to be two of our organizational values!) of our dedicated project officer, Leon.
** Source: World Health Organization