By Allan Ntana, Tabora
A CALL has given to men in Tabora region to participate in
reproductive health services so as to accelerate the efforts towards
elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.
Speaking to the media, with the presence of Anna Sawaki, EGPAF public
relation officer, the Regional Reproductive and Child Health
Coordinator, Ms Anthonia Mbago, said many men do not participate in
reproductive health services due to lack of education, involvement or
negligence.
"Many men do not like to escort their wives who are pregnant to
Antenatal clinic (Clinic of pregnant women) because of not knowing its
importance, something which affect the efforts to prevent HIV
transmission from pregnant mother to child", She said.
She added that if men could be given reproductive health education,
they would be in a position to understand what is going on and if
their wives are HIV positive they would assist and give maximum
cooperation so as to have babies who are free from HIV infection.
Ms Mbago said many women who are HIV positive fear to disclose their
health status to their husbands to evade divorce, stigma or
discrimination but if men could be accompanying them to antenatal
clinic for health checkups such fear would not exist.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) a non-governmental
organization which is supported by USAID and CDC, has deliberately set
to boost all efforts focusing to eliminate mother to child
transmission of HIV, she said.
"We want to make sure that all babies who are born with HIV positive
mothers are free from infections when it reaches the year 2015 not
only in Tabora region but in the whole country" She added
She clarified that they have put all effort towards elimination of
mother to child transmission of HIV programme (EMTCT) in all health
centers in order to reach the 2015 target, that’s why they encourage
participation of men in reproductive health services otherwise the
programme won’t be effective and the target won’t be reached.
On her side the Assistant Regional Reproductive and Child health
Coordinator, Ms Audiley Bakuza, said the campaign has targeted to
eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV from 26% in the year
2011 to 5% in the year 2015.
She added that the goal is to attain a zero HIV infection to children
born with HIV positive women in the region when it reaches next year.
According to Bakuza all pregnant and breastfeeding women who tested
HIV positive should start ART medication for lifelong immediately
after diagnosed regardless of their CD 4 count or WHO clinical stage.
She said all pregant women are encouraged to attend antenatal clinic
as early as possible because it is the early point into elimination of
mother to child transmission of HIV infection.
"We are giving education to the society especially pregnant women and
their husbands to start attending antenatal clinic as early as
possible because the earlier the better", She said
Bakuza praised the efforts of EGPAF for its support to the campaign,
adding that cooperation is highly needed among people, health workers
and all health stakeholders in the region. All health workers in the
region are fond of the organization.
A CALL has given to men in Tabora region to participate in
reproductive health services so as to accelerate the efforts towards
elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV.
Speaking to the media, with the presence of Anna Sawaki, EGPAF public
relation officer, the Regional Reproductive and Child Health
Coordinator, Ms Anthonia Mbago, said many men do not participate in
reproductive health services due to lack of education, involvement or
negligence.
"Many men do not like to escort their wives who are pregnant to
Antenatal clinic (Clinic of pregnant women) because of not knowing its
importance, something which affect the efforts to prevent HIV
transmission from pregnant mother to child", She said.
She added that if men could be given reproductive health education,
they would be in a position to understand what is going on and if
their wives are HIV positive they would assist and give maximum
cooperation so as to have babies who are free from HIV infection.
Ms Mbago said many women who are HIV positive fear to disclose their
health status to their husbands to evade divorce, stigma or
discrimination but if men could be accompanying them to antenatal
clinic for health checkups such fear would not exist.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) a non-governmental
organization which is supported by USAID and CDC, has deliberately set
to boost all efforts focusing to eliminate mother to child
transmission of HIV, she said.
"We want to make sure that all babies who are born with HIV positive
mothers are free from infections when it reaches the year 2015 not
only in Tabora region but in the whole country" She added
She clarified that they have put all effort towards elimination of
mother to child transmission of HIV programme (EMTCT) in all health
centers in order to reach the 2015 target, that’s why they encourage
participation of men in reproductive health services otherwise the
programme won’t be effective and the target won’t be reached.
On her side the Assistant Regional Reproductive and Child health
Coordinator, Ms Audiley Bakuza, said the campaign has targeted to
eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV from 26% in the year
2011 to 5% in the year 2015.
She added that the goal is to attain a zero HIV infection to children
born with HIV positive women in the region when it reaches next year.
According to Bakuza all pregnant and breastfeeding women who tested
HIV positive should start ART medication for lifelong immediately
after diagnosed regardless of their CD 4 count or WHO clinical stage.
She said all pregant women are encouraged to attend antenatal clinic
as early as possible because it is the early point into elimination of
mother to child transmission of HIV infection.
"We are giving education to the society especially pregnant women and
their husbands to start attending antenatal clinic as early as
possible because the earlier the better", She said
Bakuza praised the efforts of EGPAF for its support to the campaign,
adding that cooperation is highly needed among people, health workers
and all health stakeholders in the region. All health workers in the
region are fond of the organization.
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