A few words from Dr. Patricia Nkansah-Asamoah from the TEMA Clinic in Ghana, which receives (RED) funds.
I celebrated World AIDS Day last week feeling very hopeful that we are well on our way to reaching one of the most important goals in the fight against AIDS – to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV by the year 2015 and create the first generation of babies born HIV/AIDS free in nearly three decades.
As a physician who works at Tema General Hospital in Ghana, I have the privilege of seeing first-hand the profound impact that this effort is having on the people of Ghana. Compared with the rest of Africa, Ghana has been relatively fortunate in evading a full-blown AIDS pandemic. Yet Sub-Saharan Africa, of course, is home to the majority of HIV patients. For instance, of the 33 million people who have AIDS around the world, 22 million – a full two-thirds -- live in Africa. Africa is home to 14 million children who’ve lost one or both parents to AIDS.
And yet, despite the grim statistics, there are stories of hope. Take for instance, one of my HIV positive patients, Ruth, who has a beautiful HIV-negative daughter Bernadetta. Ruth was diagnosed with HIV in 2004 when she was pregnant. Ruth visited Tema General Hospital for routine antenatal care and, when tested for HIV, was found to be positive. The diagnosis was a shock for Ruth and, at first, she was devastated and worried that her child would die of the virus. Because our hospital has access to the appropriate treatment through funding from organizations like the Global Fund, I was able to treat her to help prevent transmission to her baby. I put Ruth on ARV treatment to help lower the viral load in her body. After birth, Bernadetta was also given ARV medication specifically formulated for infants. Bernadetta then was tested periodically until he was 1 ½ years old. She is HIV negative and thriving.
By far the most gratifying part of my job is taking an HIV positive mother through labor and delivery, and following up with her and being able to tell her after 18 months that her baby is HIV negative. I have seen, first-hand, that when mothers have access to ARVs, they use them. And when they use them the chances of vertical transmission (when the virus travels inadvertently from the pregnant mother to her child) are minimal. At Tema General Hospital, a mere 5% of babies whose mothers have begun treatment test positive.
I am hopeful that as we focus our energy and resources on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015, that our transmission rate will drop to zero and I’ll have more stories like Ruth where we are able to give our babies the gift of being HIV-free at birth.
This will not only be an incredible moment for that generation, but for generations to follow as we will finally get one step ahead of this virus as our children start their lives healthy.
Of course, there is always more to do. We need better facilities and equipment. We need more staff. But most important, we need the continued commitment from the global community so we can keep up this life-saving work, which is giving the people of Ghana, Africa at large and our children new hope for the future.
- Dr. Patricia Nkansah-Asamoah
I celebrated World AIDS Day last week feeling very hopeful that we are well on our way to reaching one of the most important goals in the fight against AIDS – to end mother-to-child transmission of HIV by the year 2015 and create the first generation of babies born HIV/AIDS free in nearly three decades.
As a physician who works at Tema General Hospital in Ghana, I have the privilege of seeing first-hand the profound impact that this effort is having on the people of Ghana. Compared with the rest of Africa, Ghana has been relatively fortunate in evading a full-blown AIDS pandemic. Yet Sub-Saharan Africa, of course, is home to the majority of HIV patients. For instance, of the 33 million people who have AIDS around the world, 22 million – a full two-thirds -- live in Africa. Africa is home to 14 million children who’ve lost one or both parents to AIDS.
And yet, despite the grim statistics, there are stories of hope. Take for instance, one of my HIV positive patients, Ruth, who has a beautiful HIV-negative daughter Bernadetta. Ruth was diagnosed with HIV in 2004 when she was pregnant. Ruth visited Tema General Hospital for routine antenatal care and, when tested for HIV, was found to be positive. The diagnosis was a shock for Ruth and, at first, she was devastated and worried that her child would die of the virus. Because our hospital has access to the appropriate treatment through funding from organizations like the Global Fund, I was able to treat her to help prevent transmission to her baby. I put Ruth on ARV treatment to help lower the viral load in her body. After birth, Bernadetta was also given ARV medication specifically formulated for infants. Bernadetta then was tested periodically until he was 1 ½ years old. She is HIV negative and thriving.
By far the most gratifying part of my job is taking an HIV positive mother through labor and delivery, and following up with her and being able to tell her after 18 months that her baby is HIV negative. I have seen, first-hand, that when mothers have access to ARVs, they use them. And when they use them the chances of vertical transmission (when the virus travels inadvertently from the pregnant mother to her child) are minimal. At Tema General Hospital, a mere 5% of babies whose mothers have begun treatment test positive.
I am hopeful that as we focus our energy and resources on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015, that our transmission rate will drop to zero and I’ll have more stories like Ruth where we are able to give our babies the gift of being HIV-free at birth.
This will not only be an incredible moment for that generation, but for generations to follow as we will finally get one step ahead of this virus as our children start their lives healthy.
Of course, there is always more to do. We need better facilities and equipment. We need more staff. But most important, we need the continued commitment from the global community so we can keep up this life-saving work, which is giving the people of Ghana, Africa at large and our children new hope for the future.
- Dr. Patricia Nkansah-Asamoah
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