Project Report
| Jul 25, 2021
A Disproportionate Virus
By Katia Ryan | GAIA VF Intern
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HIV has a 1.2 percentage rate worldwide. That is what makes the 9.0 percent rate in sub-saharan Africa that much more daunting. When we compare this to the 0.6 percent rate in North America it is hard to ignore the facts that show HIV affects the world disproportionately.
GAIA VF was founded on the basis of providing consistent, accessible, and reliable HIV care. In Mali the prevalence of HIV lies around 1.1% meaning approximately 100,000 people in the country are living with it. It is the care and practice of our established staff in Mali that is helping provide the treatment needed to combat HIV. One of the many struggles in this fight is that most screenings done in the country are concentrated on women. This is due to the rooted notion in the country that men with HIV are homosexual.
It is contributions like yours that allow us to not only administer care, but to provide information around HIV. Help us continue this journey in making HIV information and care accessible. For just $25 support the testing of five women in our clinic. Look to the orange bar on the right to learn more.
The safety and wellbeing of our patients are our top priority. Together we can fight HIV.
Continue to follow along as we put an end to HIV in Mali!
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Jul 6, 2021
Bringing Effective HIV Prevention Treatment
By Lucy Tian | GAIA VF Intern
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When given effective antiretroviral treatment (ARVs), newborn babies of HIV+ mothers avoid developing HIV. If given throughout pregnancy, the chances of the child being infected is near zero. When given to the newborn within their first three months of life, they are 3/4 less likely to die from an AIDS-related disease.
In 2019, a close investigation revealed that only 21 percent of pregnant women living with HIV in Mali received effective antiretrovirals for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. According to the UNICEF Data Warehouse, this is also a dramatic drop from previous years where 25 percent and higher of HIV+ mothers received effective antiretrovirals.
It is in this gap where GAIA Vaccine Foundation steps in. In 2020, despite the additional logistical barriers of the COVID-19 pandemic and a coup d'état, the Chez Rosalie Mother-to-Child-Transmission Prevention program treated 1,352 HIV+ women. Of their newborns, zero tested positive for HIV.
Support the incredible work of the Chez Rosalie program today!
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Jul 1, 2021
Continuing The Work!
By Katia Ryan | GAIA VF Intern
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GAIA Vaccine Foundation prides itself in having no babies born HIV positive at Hope Center Clinic. This is a moment to celebrate, but not a moment to pause the work done to get here. GAIA VF is able to offer this standard of care due to the combined effort of testing pregnant women, along with education programs, and access to care.
Unfortunately, there is an extremely limited quantity of COVID-19 vaccines available in Mali and the threat of the pandemic is still a major concern. This creates barriers in the access of testing, care, and also creating a higher risk of transmission. Now more than ever, we must continue to offer these services in new ways. A recent study conducted at our clinic included the use of Pratt Pouches for HIV positive pregnant women. This pouch contains a small dosage of antiretroviral drugs to deliver to newborn babies to prevent the transmission of HIV. The convenience of this pouch allows this medicine to be administered at home and contains a shelf life of 9-12 months. Unfortunately, this pouch is not yet widely available.
Your donation to the Born Free of HIV in West Africa campaign allows GAIA VF to continue to keep up the work we have seen truly impacts of the lives of those in the Sikoro community. A donation of $25 supports HIV testing for five women at our clinic. We believe there are the resources and technologies available to prevent all babies being born HIV free. Help us offer the solutions to keeping this true in Mali.
Thank you for your support!
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