Health Care for 500 HIV+ Children in Zambia

Thank you for your continued support for our pediatric HIV care program. With your support, we are seeing a reduced incidence of HIV in our community, and fewer new HIV infections especially amongst children born to HIV+ moms. A critical element of our pediatric HIV care program is the training in HIV prevention and care provided to families of all 350 HIV+ children. In addition, pregnant women are provided with education on PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to child transmission) of HIV to maximize the chances that the new born child is HIV free. A brief description of PMTCT and its impact is given below.

What is Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (PMTCT): The transmission of HIV from a HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, labor, delivery or breastfeeding is called mother-to-child transmission. In the absence of any intervention, transmission rates range from 15% to 45%. This rate can be reduced to below 5% with effective interventions during the periods of pregnancy, labor, delivery and breastfeeding. These interventions primarily involve antiretroviral treatment for the mother and a short course of antiretroviral drugs for the baby. They also include measures to prevent HIV acquisition in the pregnant woman and appropriate breastfeeding practices.

Impact of PMTCT: Over the last five years (with PMTCT intervention), 100% of children were born HIV negative, even though their moms and older siblings are HIV+. In addition, with better knowledge about HIV prevention, women in the PMTCT group, encourage others to go in for testing for HIV which is the first step toward prevention and spread of HIV.  Here are stories of two children who were born HIV free even though their moms and siblings are HIV+.

Ben: Martha’s older son is HIV+ and is enrolled in our pediatric HIV care program. When Martha became pregnant with Ben, she was provided with PMTCT intervention during her pregnancy. As a result, Ben was born HIV free, continues to maintain his HIV negative status and is now a healthy four-year old. Martha shared with us that she did not know that she could deliver a child free of the HIV and is thrilled that her younger son is HIV free.

Edgar: Edgar’s older sister Charity is enrolled in our pediatric HIV care program. In 2011, when Charity's mom became pregnant with Edgar, she was enrolled in our PMTCT program. As part of the PMTCT intervention, she was provided with counseling, guidance, and monitoring of her medication regimen. Edgar was born HIV free and continues to maintain his negative status. Edgar, now an active five year old, participates in the Saturday afternoon Safe Park program.

The training and education provided to families in our pediatric HIV care program, has led to more open discussions about HIV prevention and care, fewer new HIV infections, and zero new HIV infections in children born to HIV+ moms. We believe that with proper education and intervention we can eliminate HIV infection in new born children.

Thanks for giving the gift of health to a vulnerable child.

Links:

• Lets not stop now
• About PMTCT
• Training provided to families

Happy Mother’s Day! This Mother’s Day help a mom/grandma keep her children and grandchildren healthy and in school. Your continued support for orphans and vulnerable HIV+ children and their families is creating a legacy of healthy children and families who know how to prevent HIV, and a stronger more self-reliant community in Zambia.

Goals: The goal of this program is create a stronger more self-reliant community by equipping families with the right tools to take care of the health of their HIV+ children, their own health, and prevent new HIV infections.

Typical beneficiaries: Direct beneficiaries are children and their caregivers as they have been disproportionately impacted by the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Africa. In Zambia alone, there are 1.4 million orphans (10% of the total population) in a population of just 14 million. Most children in our program are cared for by single moms/grandmothers who are the sole caregivers for multiple orphaned children/grandchildren. Many orphans are cared for and live in households headed by an older sibling or a grandmother. 

Short term Impact: This program is making a significant impact by leading to improved health outcomes for children, and reduced stigma associated with HIV. In 2016, the diet and nutrition of all 350 HIV+ children improved so that no child is undernourished or malnourished. An improvement in health is measured by a sustained increase in weight, higher CD4 counts, and fewer opportunistic infections. Last year, 149 children gained weight and 52 children saw an increase in their CD4 counts; only three children lost weight and two had reduced CD4 counts. Further, opportunistic infections have been prevented/treated before they can compromise a child’s health. Second, psychosocial counseling provided helps improve a child’s mental health and helps them grow normally. This together with the provision of education in prevention of HIV led to 240 family members going in for testing for HIV. Third, no child was born HIV positive over the last six years. Fourth, monitoring and training in adherence resulted in a 98% adherence to medication amongst our children. And finally, 95% of children eligible for school are attending school.

Long term Impact: This program is making a long term sustainable impact in the following ways:

(i) Family members are better informed about HIV prevention and care,

(ii) There are fewer new HIV infections,

(iii) Stigma associated with HIV is reduced as more people get tested and start medication, and

(iv) Better health of children leads to a higher attendance in school and better school performance. 

Children in Matero are growing up in extremely difficult circumstances. They need your support to stay healthy and live close to normal lives. 

Thanks for giving the gift of health to a vulnerable HIV+ child.

Links:

• About Pediatric HIV care program
• About training provided to family caregivers
• Impact of our Pediatric HIV Care Program