Mother and Child HIV Prevention Initiative.

AIMS

WHY

420,000 Ugandan children are estimated to be HIV+ve
the majority of these have acquired the HIV infection from their mothers
15%-45% of infants from HIV+ve mothers will become infected during pregnancy, labour delivery or through breast feeding.
50% children who acquire HIV from their mothers die before they are 2 years old.
Many other children will lose their mothers during childhood due to the disease and will themselves die before reaching adult life.

HOW

Intervention by using ARV therapy can reduce the risk of mother to child transmission by 50%-75%
This project will work alongside the general health clinics and outreach work at wellspring and become a part of the “Know your Status” campaign.
An experienced midwife must be employed (maybe with an assistant).
This midwife (and assistant) must then be trained in HIV & AIDS conselling.
A new maternity clinic is to be set up at wellspring providing antenatal and postnatal care and family planning advice.
The wellspring laboratory will be used to test the pregnant woman for HIV (after counselling)
Treatment will at first be initiated through other AIDS agencies
Follow up of these pregnant women will be the responsibility of the midwife and the senior clinical officer at wellspring.
ARVs will be given during pregnancy (immediately after the first trimester), during labour and delivery and the child will also be given ARVs for the first few weeks of its life.
The midwife will also be responsible for the continued education of young women with regards to pregnancies and HIV/AIDS
any child born HIV+ve will be followed up by the wellspring paediatric services.
Strong professional links must be made with local maternity services at Masaka hospital, Kitovu hospital and the Butende maternity unit.

Cost of setting up such a project is estimated at £15,000. Grants are being applied for to enable the funding of this intiative.