Online Reporter
Victor Maphosa recently in GOKWE
IN Gokwe South district, a silent and preventable crisis is unfolding. A growing number of newborns are entering the world HIV-positive, and health officials have pinpointed the cause: a dangerous rise in home deliveries.
This practice, often rooted in religious tradition and a fear of community stigma, cuts families off from a lifeline of medical care. While Zimbabwe has been a world leader in combating HIV, these home births bypass the very systems that make success possible.
“For us, even one positive baby is a worry. It’s a preventable infection,” says community nurse Nomatter Kamudandi.
She explains the simple, effective protocol: early clinic registration, immediate antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive mothers and consistent monitoring to ensure the mother’s viral load becomes undetectable, virtually eliminating the risk to the baby.
Yet, in communities like Katema, the message faces a tough challenge. “They belong to a certain apostolic sect,” explains resident Morgan Marapira. “This habit is common there.”
Another resident, Esteri Mandoga, points to fear, “People are afraid of testing at local clinics, saying there is no privacy. They fear the next person will know.”
The battle now is not just medical, but cultural. Health workers are fighting misinformation and fear with community-based education, striving to ensure that every child has the right to an HIV-free future.
While Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care advocates for safe delivery at clinics and hospitals, some close their ears and eyes and opt for home deliveries, increasing the risks of mother-to-child transmissions.
Home deliveries are linked to an increase in HIV transmission because they prevent access to mother-to-child prevention services.
While the country has made gains in integrating services, women who deliver at home are less likely to receive these services, a risk factor for HIV infections in children, even when they access antenatal care.
Mrs Kamudandi, the HIV focal person at Gokwe South district hospital, who is also coordinating HIV programmes in the district, said home deliveries put infants at a major risk of contracting the virus and encouraged mothers to desist from the habit.
“There are a lot of home deliveries being done in some parts of Gokwe South, especially in the Katema area. We have discovered that some of the babies are born HIV positive,” she said.
“We encourage mothers to come and register their pregnancy at the nearest clinic as soon as they realise that they are pregnant. We usually encourage them to come as early as possible, especially when the pregnancy is below 12 weeks. During registration, we then conduct HIV tests. If they are found to be HIV positive, we immediately put them on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART).
“After three months from the day they are put on ART, we then conduct another test to ascertain the level of their viral load. We also conduct counselling sessions on adherence. We encourage mothers to come with their partners for registration so that we can test them together. What we encourage is for mothers to ensure that they take their medicine religiously,” she said.
She went on to say they keep on testing the mother every three months and they will also test the baby.
Mrs Kamudandi added that as health officials, they work towards the elimination of AIDS.
“We do not expect to record new HIV infections in Zimbabwe. We expect that about 95 percent of the population should know their statuses, 95 percent of those on ART should be viral suppressed and 95 percent of those tested and found positive to HIV should be on ART.
“We strongly urge those on ART to religiously take their medicines. Adherence is key.”
She said they will continue to work with village health workers to ensure home deliveries are discouraged and also that everyone knows his or her status.
Mrs Kamudandi went on to commend National Aids Council for supporting various programmes in the district that are aimed at fighting HIV and AIDS.
“We applaud NAC for the support. We work well with the organisation and they are always assisting the district, through various programmes and interventions.”
Gokwe South District NAC AIDS Coordinator (DAC) Mr Isaki Chiwara said as an organisation, they will work around the clock to ensure that the community becomes aware of the dangers of home deliveries.
“We have issues of low antenatal care bookings in the Katema area and this is a worry for us as NAC, as we would want to eliminate new HIV infections, especially among infants. So we came here to encourage the community to come early and also to encourage the parents to come for testing early. This is critical because if the parents are positive, they can be initiated on ART early.
“This will assist in that when the mother is on ART, at the time of delivery, the viral load would have gone down, meaning chances of transmitting HIV to the baby will be reduced.”
Mr Morgan Marapira, a resident of Katema, said it is true that a lot of home deliveries are being recorded in the community.
“We have some people who are still practising home deliveries and most of them are following their religious beliefs. They belong to a certain apostolic sect. This habit is common in that sect. We encourage them to go to the clinic for safe deliveries,” he said.
Mrs Mandoga argued that most people are hesitant to visit clinics for HIV testing as they believe there is no privacy.
While Zimbabwe has made significant strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and reached the 95 95 95 target, the gains may be derailed if new infections continue to increase.
