Children and AIDS
Asia - India
Prevention of vertical transmission of HIV mother-child, physician, nutritional and psychological support for HIV infected mothers during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding and for the newborns.
Type of project:
Prevention of HIV transmission; HIV/Aids education, sensitization and information; Antenatal and postpartum counseling of HIV-infected pregnant women; Training and retraining of doctors and paramedical staff of public structures and local NGOs; Early identification of HIV infection; HIV voluntary counseling and testing for both parents; Medical check-up of HIV-infected mothers during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding; Promotion of artificial breastfeeding; Promotion of caesarean section; Follow-up of the families; Nutrition counseling, care and support for HIV-infected pregnant women and for newborns; Provision of nevirapine to HIV-infected mothers and their newborns; Immunization of children; Scholastic, medical, nutrition, psychological support of children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS; Promotion of income generating activities to help people living with HIV/AIDS.
City / Location:
State of Tamil Nadu (Indian Union), villages of Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari Districts.
Direct beneficiaries:
300 HIV-infected pregnant women, 300 newborn babies.
Local staff:
1 project coordinator, 2 gynecologists, 5 public health agents (PHA), 1 laboratory technical, 1 driver.
Starting date:
August 2009
Summary of the Project:
India has about 2.5 million people living with HIV, one of the world's largest number. To the vertex of the classification the southern State of the Tamil Nadu where have been recorded during 2008, 2650 new cases. The HIV-infected children are almost 53000. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is when an HIV positive woman passes the virus to her baby. This can occur during pregnancy, and delivery, or breastfeeding. Without treatment, around 15-30% of babies born to HIV positive women will become infected with HIV during pregnancy and delivery. A further 5-20% will become infected through breastfeeding. Considering this main virus transmission modality, Soleterre and the local partner The Salvation Army have decided to promote a program of prevention of HIV parent-to-child transmission (Program PPTCT) in the Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli Districts (Tamil Nadu), in the Catherine Booth Hospital at Nagercoil and in the Public Health Centre (PHC) at Tirunelveli, since 1st August 2009.
The project foresees:
- Prevention of HIV infection among prospective parents - making HIV testing and other prevention interventions available in services related to sexual health such as antenatal and postpartum care;
- Integration of HIV care, treatment and support for women found to be positive and their families;
- Avoid of unwanted pregnancies among HIV positive women - providing appropriate counseling and support to women living with HIV to enable them to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives;
- Training and retraining of the doctors and paramedical staff of the public structures and the local NGOs that manage projects for HIV-infected pregnant mothers;
- Anamnesis;
- Newborns laboratory examinations: Hemoglobin, VDRL, urine, blood pressure, etc.;
- Periodical check-up;
- Provision of the prophylaxis against malaria, vermifuge and vitamins;
- Promotion of individual program of birth, introduction and use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, importance to follow the treatment in time;
- Provision of Nevirapina to mothers to the beginning of the contractions and Nevirapine syrup to their newborn babies after the birth, within 72 hours;
- Promotion of safe-sex counseling, prevention of sexual transmission diseases (STD);
- HIV Testing for children over 18 months old;
- Nutrition support of the undernourished mothers and for their children;
- Scholastic, medical, nutrition, psychological support of children affected/infected by HIV/AIDS
- Proportion of income generating activities in agriculture field to help people living with HIV/AIDS;
- Promotion of social mobilization campaigns in the communities, through the support of the radios.
The public health agents (PHA) have a strategic role, because they create a link between the partner-relief systems and the communities: they sensitize and educate the communities - and particularly the women - about early diagnosis, prevention of the transmission and adoption of safe behaviors; they strengthen the information and share of the communities participation to the programs of public health, favoring the dialogue between the expertise of the public health and the Community Organizations; they promote initiatives of civic education to prevent and to oppose the forms of discrimination, stigma and exclusion of the people living with HIV/AIDS.
The project also foresees the purchase of an ambulance, that will be used both for the transport of the HIV-infected pregnant women, but also to reach the localities of project and to promote the activities of education, sensitization and information.
Local partner:
- The Salvation Army Community Health and Development Programmes
- Catherine Booth Hospital, Nagercoil
Co-financing bodies:
Mediafriends