Gender Equality Uganda Project #21511

Stop the Spread of HIV from Mothers to Babies

by Alive Medical Services

Project Report | May 7, 2020
Hope restored!

By Pasquine N. Ogunsanya | Executive Director

Sara and her lovely children.

Sara (not real name), a 28-year-old single mother of two boys, works as a housemaid for an Indian family and resides in Kanyogoga, a slum area in Namuwongo. Sara joined Alive Medical Services in 2010 after a series of what seemed like signs of HIV. She had a skin rash, an irritating cough and she was consistently losing weight, these were all signs of HIV according to what people said. She used to escort her friend who was already in care at Alive Medical Services for drug refills. Her friend kept on encouraging her to test as she showed some of the signs of HIV. Sara was at first afraid to take that step of knowing her HIV status as she was a breastfeeding mother of a 17-months-old baby. She courageously took the test and the result was positive as she had suspected.

“I was at first traumatised about the news; I was even afraid to tell the counsellor that I had a breastfeeding child at home ("Naka were") and when I told my husband, he left me with the child,” Sara said sadly.

Sara did not disclose to the health worker that she had a baby before she confirmed her status. As her child grew up, he repeatedly fell ill and then developed a skin rash at 5 years; not to mention the child has a mental disability and is deaf. “I felt like he already had so much to deal with, but I had no choice”. She then decided to bring him for medical attention where they suggested for an HIV test. Sadly, the result turned out positive.

Sara felt hopeless because she did not have any psychosocial support and her friend had died. She got the courage to disclose to her mother after five years as she could no longer handle the situation by herself. Fortunately, her mother was supportive, compassionate and she has never been judgemental towards her daughter.

From the day Sara found out her HIV status, she has gotten the best counselling and health tips especially on the importance of having a balanced diet. Sara regained hope, self-love through all the support offered at Alive Medical Services, from food to medication and she is more stable now and managed to get a job where she earns fair pay which she didn’t expect once her life had taken a turn. “Even if my child barely speaks or hears, he usually looks at the clock and when it clicks 8:00 pm, he taps me as a reminder and gives me the sign that it’s time for medication, the only challenge will be disclosing to him in such a situation when he gets older”.

Sara restored her life back and had a second baby who was under the guidance of the health workers in the EMTCT section at the clinic. Her second child is happy, healthy and HIV-negative.

For all these years she has spent on medication, Sara would love to thank the whole staff of Alive Medical Services especially the lady in the EMTCT section (Linda) who has been very supportive; “she tells the truth of what will happen if you do it the way you are told to do and she will show and help you how to do it the right way”.

Mwebale nyo, mwebalilire ddala.

(Thank you so much)

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Jan 21, 2020
HIV treatment is free here at last!

By Pasquine Ogunsanye | Executive Director

Carol at the Victor's club meeting.

In primary 5, young as she was, Carol ( Not real name) a 26-year-old young lady currently residing in Namasuba was taken to the hospital by her aunt as she noticed she was getting sickly after 5 years since the death of her mother. Carol was taken to a clinic in Naguru where she was diagnosed with HIV after a blood test. She was still very young and vulnerable, devasted and hopeless with life. She was started on medication but by that time it was on sale and seemed expensive. Lucky enough, she had sponsors that catered and gave her a helping hand. As time passed, this cost became too high for them to handle so they started looking for an alternative way to support her.

In 2011, one of her sponsors found out about Alive Medical Services and she was transferred there. Not only was AMS offering ARVs, but all services were free of charge including monthly nutrition food provisions that took a load off from the burden of the sponsors. They however, continued to provide her school tuition and upkeep.

“Alive Medical Services was and is still one of a kind, a home away from home I must say. I thought I was the only one but when I met the young people in the Victor’s club, and most of all one of the leaders Nabula Edith Lukoma, I swear my life has never been the same!”

With the support and encouragement from Victor’s club here at AMS, Carol managed to cope, especially with the irritating side effects from the medication like heat all over her body, endless nausea. She persisted to stay on the medication as advised by the health workers and it has paid off. She was trained as a peer educator in psychosocial support, music trainer here at AMS and ever since then, she is proud of sharing her story with the community

Carol is now a mother of two lovely children, a boy and a girl and through our AMS EMTCT services, they are healthy, happy and most of all HIV negative.

She has learnt so much from the facility and touched so many lives in the process.

“I am so grateful to AMS staff and donors that make this happen, I love my life, my kids and my medication. Sometimes it gets hard, but that’s the circle of life, I believe everyone goes through depressing and stressing times irrespective of their status.”

Since then, Carol has never looked back and is currently breaking boundaries, she is travelling to Nairobi for her new job. She has a plan to travel back every three months to refill her medication.

It’s because of generous partners like you that AMS can help the youth. Your support is critical to ensuring children are born HIV-negative – and you are playing an integral role in halting the spread of HIV, and keeping families safe. For that, we are incredibly grateful. Thank you so very much!

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Oct 21, 2019
We won't stop until we see an HIV free generation!

By Pasquine Ogunsanya | Executive Director

A midwife examins a pregnant mother

It has been a minute, but we are still here! We have been up and about with several developments towards the provision of free, inclusive and comprehensive HIV care with elimination of mother to child HIV transmission. We won’t stop until we see an HIV free generation!

In the past three months Alive Medical Services (AMS) has continued to provide inclusive and comprehensive HIV prevention that has continued to protect babies from acquiring HIV through the mother to child transmission of HIV.

Maternal and Child Health Services

Every Tuesday, AMS focused on mothers and babies, immunizations, children from age 0- 5, and early infant diagnosis (EID). At this clinic, we target HIV positive mothers and their children, and, in that regard, we immunized 135 children from age 0-2. While providing pre- and post-natal care.

Within the last three months,

220 mothers were provided with prenatal services
197 babies were monitored with DNA-PCR testing
135 babies were provided with immunizations

Every Thursday AMS holds a prenatal care clinic for pregnant women where they are offered ultrasound scans and get a chance to be examined and attended to by a designated midwife.

Betty is one of the clients that benefitted from this special clinic. She was assessed, provided an ART refill, and her viral load was monitored. Additionally, she recieved psychosocial support, and health education sessions on acquisition and administering of Nevirapine to her new-born to ensure that the baby remains HIV negative I am thrilled to share that Betty gave birth to an HIV negative bouncing baby and the baby remains HIV negative.

Thanks to your support AMS has been able to continue reaching thousands of HIV positive individuals with holistic, inclusive and high-quality care. Since 2013 AMS has eliminated mother to child transmission of HIV and over 1000 babies have been born HIV negative. Thank you!

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