Afrigather Moroni — Nadja* was within the midst of planning her wedding ceremony two years in the past when she realized that she was HIV-positive.
“I could not fairly imagine it at first,” she says. However when she grew to become pregnant eight months after the marriage, anguish set in.
“I feared for the newborn. He had accomplished nothing, however he was nonetheless susceptible to being born HIV-positive. I grew to become increasingly nervous,” says Nadja.
Like all HIV-positive pregnant girls within the Comoros, Nadja receives help as a part of the federal government’s prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme. The medical and psychological help to moms residing with HIV helps shield their well being and forestall the transmission of the virus to the newborn throughout being pregnant or childbirth.
HIV prevalence amongst pregnant girls in Comoros stands at 0.03%. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission is among the priorities of the nation’s nationwide HIV/AIDS coverage, and the Ministry of Well being has set a purpose to finish mother-to-child HIV transmission.
As one of many measures to assist stop mother-to-child HIV transmission, the federal government, with help from World Well being Group (WHO), has skilled well being employees concerned in monitoring being pregnant by means of to supply within the care of individuals residing with HIV.
“We’ve been outfitted to lift consciousness amongst pregnant girls throughout their first prenatal session. The PMTCT technique relies on girls’s acceptance of their HIV standing,” says Ichata Hassani, a midwife on the El’maarouf Nationwide Hospital within the capital Moroni. “At first it wasn’t simple due to HIV-related stigma and discrimination.”
“All HIV-positive pregnant girls are placed on remedy, and all give delivery to wholesome youngsters,” Hassani says. “The profitable final result (of the programme) has helped us loads.”
Souef Anima, the pinnacle of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme, explains that after pregnant girls are examined and located to be residing with HIV, they obtain shut monitoring and common check-ups by a health care provider and their newborns additionally obtain care. “When the new child will get to at least one month previous, we do a take a look at, which is normally unfavourable,” she says.
Because of the success of the nation’s prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme, pregnant girls at the moment are readily stepping as much as get examined.
As of 2021 all pregnant girls residing with HIV in Comoros had been placed on antiretroviral remedy and obtained care and monitoring beneath the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programme. All their youngsters have been born freed from the virus.
By 2025 Comoros goals to attain zero new infections in infants born to moms residing with HIV, to have 75% of pregnant girls understanding their HIV standing, and a 75% discount within the variety of new infections in contrast with 2020.
“The success of the Comoros technique to fight mother-to-child transmission of HIV is as a result of sturdy dedication from well being authorities and may allow the nation to quickly obtain the aims of eliminating the illness,” says Dr Nassuri Ahamada, Head of HIV/AIDS Management at WHO in Comoros.
Seven months after the delivery of her little one, Nadja is reassured. She is set to struggle the virus in order that her little one can develop and thrive in good well being.
“Because of my remedy, which I proceed to observe, my viral load is undetectable. The care has actually restored my hope. I can say at the moment that I’m comfortable, with a wholesome little one in my arms.”
*Pseudonym
