By Pasquine Ogunsanya | Project Leader
The AMS Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV Program Building Families With Joy and Hope.
Micheal* and Rose* met while they were waiting in line for antiretroviral (ARV) drugs at the Alive Medical Services. Even though such a place is not often linked with romance, the fact that they met there meant they had already established something that many people never do: they were both aware of their respective HIV statuses. When they learned that they shared the status of being “single” as well, they bonded over their struggle of living with HIV, gradually became good friends, and eventually became a couple.
Michael and Rose don't think about how they got HIV, but they couldn't imagine they could find a suitor amongst themselves while waiting in line, more so waiting for refills for anti-retroviral medications. Before coming to Alive Medical Services, Michael was a market vendor who sold clothes.
When Michael got sick, his colleagues convinced him to go to a nearby clinic in the market and get checked out. He was gradually becoming weak which forced him to take the advice. Michael had signs and symptoms of HIV and he tested positive for HIV. He was guaranteed that he would survive and live a healthy life as long as he started and stayed on HIV treatment. Michael was then referred to Alive Medical Services for all this to come to reality. When he came to Alive Medical Services, he was started on a one-pill-per-day regimen, and within a few months of faithfully taking his medication, he began to feel like himself again.
“Meeting and falling in love with Rose were another positive side-effect of the treatment. I never expected anything good to come out of knowing that I was HIV positive. But it led me to meeting and having a child with Rose. We hope to have many more.” says Micheal.
Michael and Rose have been taking their medication on time and are living happily and healthily. The couple had a healthy baby girl who is currently enrolled in the Elimination of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (EMTCT) program at Alive Medical Services.
When the couple discovered they were having a baby, at first, they were afraid but thanks to the Antenatal Care and Elimination of Mother to Child transmission of HIV program at Alive Medical Services, the two were assured of the possibility of having a healthy child.
“Right from my first Antenatal Care visit to this day, Alive has never turned us away for any reason,” says Rose. “We have been here for about 5 years and each time we come, we have all what we need and we continue to trust them with our health including this bundle of joy we created.”
The baby is currently enrolled in the EMTCT program to ensure that they raise a safe and healthy baby. “This is our second visit as new parents, but we were told the first test that was done at 6 weeks is negative, which makes me even trust them more,” says Rose
One of AMS’ core values is Client Focus, which means that the facility aims to focus and prioritize the needs of its clientele. Alive Medical Services has not registered any HIV-positive baby born by a mother under their care.
The couple’s families are supportive, they didn’t turn on them because of their status and their decision to start a family. Michael and Rose have grown to become a proud family who keep reminding one another of their medical appointments and support each other in taking their medication every day.
As Rose says, “Michael’s family is amazingly supportive and they help us take care of ourselves, and our child. Together we live positively with HIV and it will stop with us.”
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