News / Local
BCC upgrades prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV programme
27 Aug 2011 at 19:15hrs | Views
Bulawayo's Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme has been upgraded to the More Enhanced Regiment for pregnant mothers where HIV positive mothers are given combination a triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) which should bring about better survival and improved quality of life for both the mother and child.
Dr Hwalima noted that HIV was a family disease and there was need for husbands to access the service to enable the commencement of the patient on antiretroviral treatment, should it be necessarry. She added that ARV drugs were available at Council clinics and the supply chain significantly improved.
She reported that Khami Road, Nketa, Magwegwe and Emakhandeni clinics were the four initiating centers, while other clinics are follow up centres. She added that although 135 000 patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy, staff shortage of in Council clinics limited the number of people who could be put on antiretroviral drugs.
"In an effort to improve quality of life for infected residents, that is those with both TB HIV, Council clinics are now geared to assit such patients holistically," said Dr Hwalima. She added that various efforts were being done to assist HIV infected persons as they could also benefit from the Community Based Nutrition Care programme.
"Plumpy nut" under the Community Based Nutrition programme is distributed to under nourished children in the community, thereby lessening hospital admissions of children.
The programme is available at all clinics, and can also be accessed by malnourished tuberculosis and HIV infected patients," she said.
Dr Hwalima noted that HIV was a family disease and there was need for husbands to access the service to enable the commencement of the patient on antiretroviral treatment, should it be necessarry. She added that ARV drugs were available at Council clinics and the supply chain significantly improved.
She reported that Khami Road, Nketa, Magwegwe and Emakhandeni clinics were the four initiating centers, while other clinics are follow up centres. She added that although 135 000 patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy, staff shortage of in Council clinics limited the number of people who could be put on antiretroviral drugs.
"In an effort to improve quality of life for infected residents, that is those with both TB HIV, Council clinics are now geared to assit such patients holistically," said Dr Hwalima. She added that various efforts were being done to assist HIV infected persons as they could also benefit from the Community Based Nutrition Care programme.
"Plumpy nut" under the Community Based Nutrition programme is distributed to under nourished children in the community, thereby lessening hospital admissions of children.
The programme is available at all clinics, and can also be accessed by malnourished tuberculosis and HIV infected patients," she said.
Source - siyephambili
