N’Djamena – Judith Haltebaye, a midwife with 15 years of journey, has spent the previous seven years serving at the Abena-Atetip Health Centre in central N’Djamena. Over the years, she has supported a total bunch of girls folks all the procedure in which thru their pregnancies and beyond. For some, her care entails extremely assert divulge-ups, as within the case of 34-year-old Menodjie, who is residing with HIV. “Menodjie came for a consultation in January, and through routine tests, we discovered she was living with HIV. At the time, she was expecting her second child,” Judith recounts.
In Chad, an estimated 65 000 girls folks over the age of 15 had been residing with HIV in 2023, in accordance to basically the most in trend UNAIDS account. The account also highlighted an HIV occurrence rate of 1.3% amongst girls folks ragged 15 to 49 years. To fight the virus, the Authorities of Chad launched the Prevention of Mom-to-Youngster Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) Programme in 2005. The initiative aims to guard children born to HIV-certain moms from an infection within the center of three serious phases: pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
General, indicators of HIV esteem moms and children in Chad agree with shown main enhance. The bustle of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Chad has a good deal declined, losing from 29% in 2012 to 19% in 2023. By 2023, in accordance to the an identical UNAIDS account, 91 000 HIV-uncovered children had examined unfavorable for the virus, and 1300 contemporary runt one infections had been kept away from thru the efforts of the PMTCT Programme. In comparability, these figures had been 82 000 and 1100 respectively, in 2015.
“We’re proud of this progress,” says Dr Hassan Ndengar, HIV focal level for the southern district of N’Djamena. “PMTCT really saves lives. Children are the strength of a country, and they represent the future generation. That is why we must invest in them and look after their health.” In Dr Ndengar’s belief, prevention is key. “We know that if we screen pregnant women, we’ll be able to reduce transmission rate. From there, we can break the chain of infection and lower the prevalence within the population.”
Providing esteem pregnant girls folks is central to Chad’s efforts to close and help watch over HIV/AIDS. Midwives, alongside medical doctors and paramedics, play a pivotal feature as entrance-line workers on this fight. To bolster their ability, they agree with bought technical and monetary reinforce from World Health Group (WHO). WHO’s reinforce has also incorporated the advance of nationwide guides and pointers, besides the implementation of monitoring and review techniques to guarantee that the effectiveness of these efforts.
In collaboration with the Sector-wide HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programme, 750 healthcare workers had been educated in contemporary years on the total administration of HIV and hepatitis. “We learned that HIV/AIDS testing is a must for all women who come for antenatal consultations. From the very first contact, we must ensure they understand the importance of being screened,” says Judith Haltebaye, a midwife and one in every of the educated workers. If the initial take a look at is certain, a confirmatory take a look at is performed. Girls who take a look at certain are then supplied with free, total care, collectively with counselling and antiretroviral medicines (ARVs).
Antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) place lives and give other folks residing with HIV the hope of a brighter future. In 2023, 7700 pregnant girls folks in Chad required ARV treatment, and 70% of them bought it, an amplify from 64% in 2022. The care equipped by healthcare teams has profoundly changed lives, as within the case of Menodjie. “These medicines have given me back my strength. Before, I couldn’t lift anything, not even a cup near me. Afterwards, the delivery went well, and my daughter was born without the virus,” she shares.
The success of the PMTCT Programme and its achievements particularly the bulk of children being born HIV-free are reworking attitudes and building belief. “We’ve seen many HIV-positive women confidently commit to another pregnancy because they know their baby will be healthy if they follow the protocol. They come back to us because they received proper care,” says Judith Haltebaye. “Thanks to PMTCT, we’re saving a lot of lives, and I’m very proud of that.”
In collaboration with the Authorities, WHO is engaged in handy resource mobilization, particularly thru the Global Fund, and supports the revision of standards and pointers, the enhancement of diagnostic tools, and the strengthening of recordsdata administration techniques. Beyond addressing HIV, WHO is working to combine the help watch over of hepatitis B and syphilis into the PMTCT Programme, besides into maternal, neonatal, and child successfully being companies and products.
“This programme, which addresses three critical diseases affecting mothers and children, will enable us to improve maternal and child health, reduce mortality rates, strengthen the health system, and uphold human rights,” said Dr Blanche Anya, WHO Consultant in Chad. “This approach is vital because it places the patient at the centre of interventions. We are working to promote health for all.”
Chad has made main growth toward reaching the 95-95-95 targets place by the Joint United Countries Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for HIV testing, treatment, and viral load suppression. In 2023, 71% of oldsters residing with HIV in Chad knew their place, and 86% of those had been on ARV treatment when when in contrast with correct 47% and 70%, respectively, in 2015. Files on the third target, viral load suppression, weren’t obtainable.
In N’Djaména, a pair of months after the beginning of her daughter, Menodjie continues her treatment. For her, lifestyles has returned to a in trend stride, practically making her neglect the virus she’s residing with. “I feel good today, and my children are healthy too. I still remember how happy I was when I heard my daughter’s results. Knowing that she is healthy is a great relief, which I wish for all people living with HIV because every mother in the world wants the best for her child.”
