4.3 PREVENTION MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION - PLUS

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM

Kassanda Health Centre IV, (government of Uganda Semi hospital in 0.5 km distance from KCF Mission headquarters). It recently started free of charge Voluntary Counseling and Testing VCT for HIV/AIDS. It also started free services of core Prevention Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS positive pregnant mothers - PMTCT. In core PMTCT, pregnant women are served with an anti retroviral drug called Nevirapine that help reduce chances of passing the virus to the foetus and new born baby during delivery. At delivery, the baby is given Nevirapine syrup.
To reduce possible transmission of the virus through breast-feeding, the mother is discouraged from breastfeeding and other alternative feeding methods are suggested.
 UNFORTUNATELY, no baby feeding assistance has been given to these mostly poorest of the poor. Therefore, in 2004, about 62% PMTCT clients rejected to receive the last treatment that helps stop breast milk production fearing that without breast milk the babies would starve.
Kassanda Health Centre handles 1482 deliveries a year. Of these 96 were of HIV positive mothers.
There is need to avail nutrition assistance to beneficiaries of PMTCT to supplement the government programme and other homecare kits. There is much need to refurbish, restock and equip The People’s Medical Centre – a KCF partner centre.

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