N’Djamena – Judith Haltebaye, a midwife with 15 years of expertise, has spent the past seven years serving on the Abena-Atetip Properly being Centre in central N’Djamena. Over the years, she has supported hundreds of ladies folk right thru their pregnancies and beyond. For some, her care entails extremely particular notice-ups, as in the case of 34-year-gentle 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 ladies folk over the age of 15 were residing with HIV in 2023, in accordance with essentially the most trendy UNAIDS file. The file additionally highlighted an HIV prevalence rate of 1.3% among ladies folk feeble 15 to 49 years. To fight the virus, the Government of Chad launched the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) Programme in 2005. The initiative aims to provide protection to children born to HIV-positive mothers from infection for the duration of three vital stages: being pregnant, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
Overall, indicators of HIV handle mothers and children in Chad win proven most principal development. The rate of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Chad has enormously declined, losing from 29% in 2012 to 19% in 2023. By 2023, in accordance with the same UNAIDS file, 91 000 HIV-uncovered children had tested destructive for the virus, and 1300 novel toddler infections had been prevented thru the efforts of the PMTCT Programme. In comparability, 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 concept, prevention is very principal. “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.”
Offering handle pregnant ladies folk is central to Chad’s efforts to shut and preserve watch over HIV/AIDS. Midwives, alongside doctors and paramedics, play a pivotal role as entrance-line workers in this fight. To crimson meat up their ability, they’ve purchased technical and monetary make stronger from World Properly being Organization (WHO). WHO’s make stronger has additionally integrated the building of national guides and tricks, as properly as the implementation of monitoring and evaluate programs to manufacture positive the effectiveness of those efforts.
In collaboration with the Sector-wide HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections Programme, 750 healthcare workers win been trained in contemporary years on the complete 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 certainly one of many trained workers. If the preliminary check is positive, a confirmatory check is performed. Females who check positive are then supplied with free, complete care, alongside side counselling and antiretroviral medicines (ARVs).
Antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) build lives and offers other folks residing with HIV the hope of a brighter future. In 2023, 7700 pregnant ladies folk in Chad required ARV cure, and 70% of them purchased it, an prolong from 64% in 2022. The care supplied by healthcare groups has profoundly modified lives, as in 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 majority of children being born HIV-free are remodeling 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 Government, WHO is engaged in resource mobilization, particularly thru the Global Fund, and supports the revision of requirements and tricks, the enhancement of diagnostic tools, and the strengthening of facts administration programs. Past addressing HIV, WHO is working to mix the preserve watch over of hepatitis B and syphilis into the PMTCT Programme, as properly as into maternal, neonatal, and child properly being providers.
“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,” mentioned Dr Blanche Anya, WHO Representative 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 most principal growth toward attaining the 95-95-95 targets put by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for HIV checking out, cure, and viral load suppression. In 2023, 71% of alternative folks residing with HIV in Chad knew their position, and 86% of those were on ARV cure in comparison to steady 47% and 70%, respectively, in 2015. Knowledge on the third intention, viral load suppression, were no longer available.
In N’Djaména, about a months after the birth of her daughter, Menodjie continues her cure. For her, lifestyles has returned to a protracted-established hobble, nearly making her omit 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.”
