Prevent HIV infections to children in Uganda

With financial support we receive from development partners through GlobalGiving, KADO is offering free HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT) to pregnant mothers and thereafter, giving the victims ARVs and linking them for care. This quarterly report clearly demonstrate the progress for the period between March and June, 2017. From March to date we have tested a total number of 90 pregnant mothers and linked 21 of them to different HCIIIs for treatment and special care. The Achievements and challenge here is that most women have poor or negative attitude towards voluntary testing, however, KADO has addressed this by massive sensitization campaigns through community dialogue, drama shows, and radio talk shows among others. Project activities includes; monitoring and evaluation, facilitate transportation of blood samples for CD4 Count, Community mobilization and sensitization on PMTCT, contribution to health workers welfare, procure medical drugs and sundries and testing kits and procure mama kits and dissemination to mothers during their labor periods and delivery coaches.

Current Status of prevention of HIV infection in children in Uganda  

EMTCT services are still very poor in the community because there is limited male involvement during antenatal and maternity visits. Supply of MAMA kits and gloves among others is inadequate in public health facilities and are quite expensive for mothers in private health faculties. In addition, mothers still deliver in the villages by traditional birth attendants and are exposed to HIV/AIDS.

In the last quarter, the organization managed to implement the following;

1. Provided health education to 10 HIV positive women on family planning services
2. Tested 90 mothers for HIV during antenatal visits
3. 90 mothers attended antenatal visits
4. 78 male spouses tested for HIV/AIDS with their female spouses
5. 90 women tested for HIV/AIDS during their labor periods
6. 54 pregnant mothers had safe delivery in the KADO health center III
7. Made 5 trips of blood samples of infants for PCR-HIV DNA
8. 69 mothers attended postnatal care.
9. 35 mothers received mama kits.

Challenges

The under listed challenges still exist and need to be solved in order to realize the project outcomes and impact:

1. Limited financial resources. KADO is a donor dependent organization and realizes limited profit from its income generating activities. Inadequate money to procure MAMA kits for mothers during their labor period.
2. Poor attitude of the community leaders. Local leaders are silent on dissemination of EMTCT messages in public places. They think it is a preserve for health workers.  
3. Low male involvement in EMTCT. Due to lack of community awareness, male involvement in supporting their spouses for antenatal visits is limited. This gives chance for rural women to seek antenatal services from traditional and unprofessional health workers.
4. Inadequate of HIV testing kits and sundries. Some time we run shortage of testing kits.

Recommendation

All stake holders are requested to provide support to save the children in Uganda. Children being the tomorrows’ leaders.


Testimony from one beneficiary

This is testimony of Jude who is 10 years old was found to be HIV postive. The workers at the health center counseled her and she was enrolled for ART. This story gives picture of what our girls at school, married women and pregnant mothers face and the services we provide to them at our center III in relation to HIV/AIDS.