adminCatherine Murombedzi
Pregnant mothers need safe space to live in and violence be it physical or mental can lead to stress. This poses a danger to both mother and baby in the womb.During ante natal clinic expecting mothers are given classes on wellness, nutrition and are advised to get tested for HIV. Some pregnant mothers, because of fear deliver at home as a way to evade getting tested.
The National Aids Council states that 70 000 mothers tested positive to HIV and of these 9 percent of the babies tested positive to the virus in Zimbabwe in 2014. Ideally 5 percent or less children should test positive. In the developed world no baby is born with HIV in this era.
It is also possible for the developing world to have no baby born HIV positive if women are urged to know their HIV status. Women who visit the clinic with their spouses face less risk as counselling is done for the couple and if results show that one or both are HIV positive, further counselling is done.
In the case of women who test HIV positive on their own, they find it difficult to inform their spouses for fear of being blamed. This shows that the home then becomes an unsafe space for both mother and child.
Dr Angela Mushavi National PMTCT, paediatric HIV, Care and Treatment director in the Ministry of Health and Child Care feels that comprehensive knowledge is the way to go and have all mothers willing to get tested.
The Constitution demands that everyone be given free consent so pregnant mothers can not be forced to get tested for HIV. Rather they need to be educated and know that there is help if they test HIV positive.
Health experts believe the country has witnessed an increasing trend in home-deliveries since 1999, in the context of a weakened health delivery system, economic hardships and cultural barriers. From 2006 to 2009, according to the Multiple Indicator Monitoring Survey, home deliveries rose by eight percent to 39 percent.
“We cannot force people because we would have diverged and breached their constitutional right. Sometimes people shun testing because they do not fully understand. I believe if we teach each other then go to clinics and be served by true professionals who respect us, no one will say no. No one wants their children to be HIV positive,” said Dr Mushavi.
Zimbabwe has 1,2 million HIV positive people. Of these 700 000 are on anti-retroviral treatment.
How effective are we in influencing that safe space for mothers? It is easier said than done.
We talk of claiming our spaces, pushing the boundaries and ensuring that inclusion is just not window dressing. I pray that we will have such safe spaces, where health, religion and culture will melt. I have found out that opening up that I am living positively has helped many people especially women in difficult spheres to deal with their situations.
I write the column HIV Walk in The Herald since 2010 and in Shona which is a vernacular language I have translated the same article for Kwayedza which is a weekly paper.
For the last six months I have written in The Manica Post. I am a guest writer for Avert.
I am humbled and glad that I have been a source of inspiration to pregnant mothers who have tested HIV positive and are shattered. Talking to someone who has walked the road and tells them that it is well, changes the outlook and makes them accept reality and have the will to live.
The will to live is derived from acceptance. How then can women living with HIV have the will to live if they have not be given that space and say I am a living testimony?
I have had several mail from people who have confided in me but have said they would rather remain silent of their status than face the backlash from family, peers and community.
We need to treat people who disclose their HIV status with respect. No one is forced to disclose but to me it was part of the healing process.
I am now beyond the diagnosis point, I aim to help pregnant women especially those who test HIV positive to know that it’s possible to have an HIV free baby if they register for anti natal clinic on time.
I feel time permitting visits to ante natal clinics would bring a change as the spirit of fear melts on seeing someone who has walked the path and has a healthy HIV negative child.
Till then, get tested know your HIV status.
Online Reporter