Opinion / Columnist
Cuba eradicates mother to child HIV transmission
08 Dec 2015 at 09:05hrs | Views
At the recent ICASA ceremony in Zimbabwe, it was refreshing to note that The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Cuba has become the first non-western country in the world to stamp out transmission of HIV and syphilis from mother to child. This is a major victory in our long fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and an important step towards having an AIDS-free generation. Cuba's success in this respect is the first step in a potential victory of the fight against HIV/AIDS across the globe.
This is one of the most cerebrated achievements in the century which makes the creation of an HIV free generation a reality. This is not a mean feat, considering that the AIDS pandemic affected mainly the productive age group that contributes to global wealth. Faced with a largely ageing population, the consequences of failure to tackle the scourge had become too ghastly to contemplate.
Africa is currently grappling with possible eradication of aids by 2030, and Cuba has set a perfect benchmark by taking the lead in sharing its expertise on fighting this deadly disease which threatens to wipe out the global population.
It is worth mentioning that this revelation motivated developing nations to tap and embrace Cuba's technical expertise in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Cubans are famous for their one conspicuous advantage that certainly helped to register this achievement. The country provides basic healthcare to its entire citizenry free of charge.
Its milestone is important on several fronts in the global health governance work towards an AIDS-free generation. It also resonates with the Millennium Development Goals to reduce child mortality, facilitate universal access, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases as well as in the sustainable development goals to reduce the global threat of HIV and AIDS.
Around the world, about 1.4 million women with HIV conceive every year. According to WHO, if left untreated, there's a 15-45% risk of mothers transmitting the virus to their unborn child, during delivery, or breastfeeding. However, that risk can drop to as low as 1% if both mother and child are given antiretroviral medication.
Sonja Caffe, a WHO regional adviser on HIV for the Americas, reiterated that when a Cuban woman becomes pregnant, odds are high that she already knows whether she is infected with HIV. She is likely to be diagnosed and referred to a health centre with a higher level of specialized services, to monitor and treat her HIV.
In the United States, the rate of transmission of HIV through pregnancy and childbirth is about 2%, which incidentally is the mark set as the WHO standard. But the U.S. has pockets of underserved population, especially in black communities and inner cities which make it part of the needy in fighting the scourge.
In view of this, Zimbabweans, the US and other global nation states are urged to follow the clear foot-prints of Cubans so that together we fight HIV until victory is certain.
This is one of the most cerebrated achievements in the century which makes the creation of an HIV free generation a reality. This is not a mean feat, considering that the AIDS pandemic affected mainly the productive age group that contributes to global wealth. Faced with a largely ageing population, the consequences of failure to tackle the scourge had become too ghastly to contemplate.
Africa is currently grappling with possible eradication of aids by 2030, and Cuba has set a perfect benchmark by taking the lead in sharing its expertise on fighting this deadly disease which threatens to wipe out the global population.
It is worth mentioning that this revelation motivated developing nations to tap and embrace Cuba's technical expertise in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Cubans are famous for their one conspicuous advantage that certainly helped to register this achievement. The country provides basic healthcare to its entire citizenry free of charge.
Around the world, about 1.4 million women with HIV conceive every year. According to WHO, if left untreated, there's a 15-45% risk of mothers transmitting the virus to their unborn child, during delivery, or breastfeeding. However, that risk can drop to as low as 1% if both mother and child are given antiretroviral medication.
Sonja Caffe, a WHO regional adviser on HIV for the Americas, reiterated that when a Cuban woman becomes pregnant, odds are high that she already knows whether she is infected with HIV. She is likely to be diagnosed and referred to a health centre with a higher level of specialized services, to monitor and treat her HIV.
In the United States, the rate of transmission of HIV through pregnancy and childbirth is about 2%, which incidentally is the mark set as the WHO standard. But the U.S. has pockets of underserved population, especially in black communities and inner cities which make it part of the needy in fighting the scourge.
In view of this, Zimbabweans, the US and other global nation states are urged to follow the clear foot-prints of Cubans so that together we fight HIV until victory is certain.
Source - Suitable Kajau
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
