HIV: CDC, partners unveil toolkit for prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission
By Kemi Akintokun
The United States Centre for Disease Control and partners, on Wednesday unveiled a toolkit for the implementation of a project tagged: “Baby Showers in Congregational Settings”, in Lagos.
The project’s unveiling, hosted by the Centre For Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), aims at preventing Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV.
It was spearheaded by the National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCP), Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the United States Centres For Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), Nigeria.
In a welcome address, Dr Timothy Efuntoye,representative of CDC, Nigeria, expressed the need for collaboration among concerned stakeholders to achieve the success of the ‘Baby Shower Toolkits’ implementation at the grassroots level.
Efuntoye stated that HIV virus was still very much around in Nigeria, adding that a survey carried out in 2018 indicated that about 1.5 per cent of Nigerians were living with HIV.
He said a recent statistics also showed that most people living with HIV were women and children.
He said the centre would continue to support such people with Antiretroviral HIV drugs that would help to keep them alive.
He said the toolkit was unveiled as part of approaches toward ending the transmission of HIV/AIDS to paediatrics, which was highly preventable.
In her remarks, Dr Bola Oyeledun, Chief Executive Officer, CIHP, expressed worry that many children were continuously infected with HIV virus through their mothers due to negligence.
Oyeledun highlighted the roles of various religions, including, Christians, Muslims, traditionalists and other institutional gatherings in reaching and educating members of the communities.
“We all know that pregnancy is a joyful thing, the ending is supposed to be joyful and the children are supposed to be well and joyful as well.
“This initiative is to make sure that we have the tool to enable us uniformly build the correct information, the right skills and also measure and document the activities aimed at achieving it.
“With the congregational approach, we can be able to reach and enlighten women, as well as the pregnant ones, and the men too,” she said.
According to her, the society and its institutions cannot afford to rest on its oars, as many children have continued to be infected with HIV.
The CIHP CEO noted that the document for the research of the Baby Shower Toolkits was done in Enugu, but implemented first in Benue, before moving to Lagos state and spreading to other states of the federation.
Also, Dr Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator,NASCP, under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said, “together we can prevent mother to child transmission and ensure that every mother and child receive the care they deserve.”
Bashorun, represented by Dr Hafsat Iyanda, stated that the toolkits were designed to empower mothers with the knowledge and tools they needed to nurture their children from the very beginning of life.
He said:”By providing comprehensive information on prenatal care, nutrition, immunisation, and early childhood development, we aim to foster a generation of healthy, thriving children who will grow to become the foundation of a prosperous future.”
In her address,Dr Folakemi Animashaun,CEO, Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), said that the prevention of the Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV coverage in the country currently stood at approximately 37 per cent.
She pledged the Lagos state government’s unwavering commitment to achieving epidemic control of HIV/AIDS with a primary focus on prevention CDC, CIHP, partners unveil toolkit for prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV transmission
In her remark, Dr Bola Oyeledun, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), CIHP, expressed worry that many children were continuously infected with HIV virus through their mothers due to negligence.
Oyeledun highlighted the roles of various religions, including, Christians, Muslims, traditionalists and other institutional gatherings in reaching and educating members of the communities.
“We all know that pregnancy is a joyful thing, the ending is supposed to be joyful and the children are supposed to be well and joyful as well.
“This initiative is to make sure that we have the tool to enable us uniformly build the correct information, the right skills and also measure and document the activities aimed at achieving it.
“With the congregational approach, we can be able to reach and enlighten women, as well as the pregnant ones, and the men too,” she said.
According to her,the society and its institutions cannot afford to rest on its oars, as many children had continued to be infected with HIV.
The CIHP CEO noted that the document for the research of the Baby Shower Toolkits was done in Enugu,but implemented first in Benue, before moving to Lagos state and spreading to other states of the federation.
Speaking also, Dr Adebobola Bashorun, National Coordinator,NASCP, under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said, “together we can prevent mother to child transmission and ensure that every mother and child receives the care they deserve.”
Bashorun, represented by Dr Hafsat Iyanda, stated that the toolkits were designed to empower mothers with the knowledge and tools they needed to nurture their children from the very beginning of life.
He said:”By providing comprehensive information on prenatal care, nutrition, immunisation, and early childhood development, we aim to foster a generation of healthy, thriving children who will grow to become the foundation of a prosperous future.”
In her address,Dr Folakemi Animashaun,CEO, Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), said that the prevention of the Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV coverage in the country currently stood at approximately 37 per cent.
She pledged the Lagos state government’s unwavering commitment to achieving epidemic control of HIV/AIDS with a primary focus on PMTCT.
According to her, the meticulously crafted toolkit will empower religious leaders with the necessary resources to conduct culturally sensitive practices aimed at effectively educating their congregations on PMTCT.
In their goodwill messages,the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Bishop Adegbite, represented by Rev. Stephen Oyinlola, and Imam Alfanla Muhammed of Jama’atu Islamiya of Nigeria, thanked the organisers for the initiative.
The religious leaders also pledged to continue to preach against stigmatisation against persons living with HIV/AIDS .
They also also encouraged the patients to access qualitative health services to reduce maternal and child mortality.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event showcased various testimonials of past and present beneficiaries of the ‘Baby Shower Toolkit’ and how it has helped them to pull through.(NAN)
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Dianabasi Effiong.
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