Parents called to help eradicate HIV transmission to children
Fathers should play their role by getting themselves tested for HIV.
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has called on parents to play their role in eradicating HIV transmission to children.
SAMA board chairperson and spokesperson, Dr Mzukisi Grootboom, said in a statement that the concept of “mother-to-child transmission” unwittingly excludes or ignores the pivotal role fathers play in preventing the transmission of HIV to their children.
“The first step is to correct this exclusionary misnomer of putting the burden of responsibility only on the mothers. We should preach ‘prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV’.
“Fathers should play their role by getting themselves tested. If they are found to be positive, they need to adhere to their treatment, and they need to use condoms to prevent passing the virus to their children,” said Grootboom.
The importance of the father’s role, he added, was highlighted by the grey area of transmission, which occurs after birth.
“Usually, mothers who tested negative continue breastfeeding with the comfort of knowing their HIV status to be negative. However, if one or both parents contract HIV during this period and pass it to the other, the child will end up getting it from the mother’s breast milk.”
Grootboom further stressed the importance of family, not only for the child’s well-being but also to ensure that the child is born into a caring environment, where there is adequate care provided by both parents.
“Both parents have to be equally committed in the prevention of parent to child transmission,” he said.
According to UNICEF reports, about 900 children are infected with HIV per day and over 90% of these are in sub-Saharan Africa. The report further states that only 57% of pregnant women living with HIV received antiretroviral drugs to prevent them from passing the virus to their babies.
In South Africa, the first National Prevention of Mother to Child impact evaluation report in 2011 placed the transmission rate at under 4% four to eight weeks after birth.
SAMA praised all the role players, including parents, health professionals, civil society and government for their contributions in achieving this.
“This is a step in the right direction. Just as we have stopped polio from killing and disabling our children, we should all work hard to eradicate the transmission of HIV from parents to children,” said Grootboom.
The mother-to-child rate of HIV transmission has declined from 8% in 2008 to 2% last year. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said the Health Department aimed to reduce the rate to just 1% by 2015. – SAnews.gov.za
