adminRumbidzai Mashayahanya Mutare Bureau
The National Aids Council (NAC) has saved 10 774 babies from being infected with the HIV virus since the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme was introduced in Manicaland in 2001. NAC monitoring and evaluation officer Mr Sibert Hlatshwayo said currently 88 percent of women in Manicaland could access PMTCT services.
However, there is a drive to increase the figure since Government intends to eliminate infections in the next two years.
“Currently, 88 percent of mothers can access PMTCT services in different parts of Manicaland province, but as a region, we are targeting that by the time we get to the end of the year, we would have managed to hit the 100 percent mark.
“It is encouraging to note that since the inception of the programme, the number of women accessing treatment had doubled nearly every year because of the various awareness messages that we constantly spread in the centres we serve,” said Mr Hlatshwayo.
In 2016 alone, the number of babies saved from HIV infection through PMTCT stood at 2 784, which represents double the figure recorded in 2015.
“We expect that the numbers for 2017 will be higher once the rest of the team is done compiling the information and we make the report public like all previous reports,” Mr Hlatshwayo said.
Provincial STI/HIV coordinator in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Mr Charles Uzande said transmission had gone down to 5 percent for breastfeeding mothers and less than 2 percent for non-breast feeding mothers.
“The numbers are encouraging and of the women who are walking through our doors, 95 percent require PMTCT services and we give them the support they need together with partner organisations,” said Mr Uzande.
Online Reporter