Born Free of HIV in West Africa

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage many parts of the world, efforts to contain the coronavirus have disrupted healthcare systems tasked with preventing and treating other illnesses. According to the World Bank, the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa led to an 18% decrease in routine medical services which led to an increase in deaths due to other infectious diseases. While the reported COVID-19 infection rate in Mali is much lower than that of the United States, HIV/AIDS is still a great risk to those living in Mali.

GAIA VF’s initiative to ensure that children in Mali are Born Free of HIV in West Africa is even more important given the reduced access to healthcare that the COVID-19 pandemic has created. The implications of being born with HIV during this pandemic can affect a child for a lifetime. In order to ensure that no child is born HIV positive, Mother-To-Child Transmission Prevention, or MTCTP, is necessary. Expectant mothers need healthcare resources, such as access to HIV testing, counseling, and treatment, in order to dramatically reduce the chance that their children could be born HIV positive. 

With your contributions to GAIA VF, we can work to provide the support needed for Mother-To-Child-Transmission Prevention (MTCTP) and ensure that children in West Africa are Born Free of HIV. A $25 donation supports HIV testing for five women in the clinic. A $50 donation supports all of the laboratory tests for one mother during the pre-natal period, including ultrasound.