N’Djamena – Judith Haltebaye, a midwife with 15 years of journey, has spent the past seven years serving at the Abena-Atetip Health Centre in central N’Djamena. Through the years, she has supported hundreds of women folks throughout their pregnancies and beyond. For some, her care involves highly explicit be conscious-ups, as within the case of 34-year-ragged Menodjie, who resides 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 women folks over the age of 15 were living with HIV in 2023, in accordance with the most modern UNAIDS document. The document also highlighted an HIV prevalence price of 1.3% among women folks historical 15 to 49 years. To fight the virus, the Authorities of Chad launched the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) Programme in 2005. The initiative objectives to provide protection to children born to HIV-certain moms from an infection throughout three significant phases: being pregnant, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
Total, indicators of HIV like moms and children in Chad dangle shown significant enchancment. The price of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Chad has tremendously declined, shedding from 29% in 2012 to 19% in 2023. By 2023, in accordance with the same UNAIDS document, 91 000 HIV-uncovered children had examined damaging for the virus, and 1300 novel toddler infections had been kept away from by the efforts of the PMTCT Programme. When put next, these figures were 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 draw, 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 like pregnant women folks is central to Chad’s efforts to forestall and preserve watch over HIV/AIDS. Midwives, alongside doctors and paramedics, play a pivotal role as front-line workers in this war. To give a dangle to their capacity, they dangle got obtained technical and financial give a dangle to from World Health Organization (WHO). WHO’s give a dangle to has also included the come of national guides and pointers, apart from to the implementation of monitoring and review programs to be definite the effectiveness of those efforts.
In collaboration with the Sector-huge HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programme, 750 healthcare workers dangle been expert in most modern years on the great management 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 of the most expert workers. If the initial take a look at is certain, a confirmatory take a look at is conducted. Ladies who take a look at certain are then supplied with free, entire care, together with counselling and antiretroviral medicines (ARVs).
Antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) keep lives and give of us living with HIV the hope of a brighter future. In 2023, 7700 pregnant women folks in Chad required ARV therapy, and 70% of them obtained it, an magnify from 64% in 2022. The care supplied by healthcare groups has profoundly modified 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 significantly the majority of children being born HIV-free are reworking attitudes and constructing 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 resource mobilization, significantly by the World Fund, and helps the revision of requirements and pointers, the enhancement of diagnostic instruments, and the strengthening of recordsdata management programs. Past addressing HIV, WHO is working to integrate the preserve watch over of hepatitis B and syphilis into the PMTCT Programme, apart from to into maternal, neonatal, and child well 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,” talked about 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 significant development toward achieving the 95-95-95 targets location by the Joint United Countries Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for HIV testing, therapy, and viral load suppression. In 2023, 71% of of us living with HIV in Chad knew their space, and 86% of those were on ARV therapy when when put next with upright 47% and 70%, respectively, in 2015. Recordsdata on the third draw, viral load suppression, were now not on hand.
In N’Djaména, a few months after the starting up of her daughter, Menodjie continues her therapy. For her, lifestyles has returned to a odd tempo, nearly making her neglect the virus she’s living 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.”
