2 Aug 2010

ANGOLA / HIV TREATMENT

The Angolan government implements new programmes, including free anti-retroviral to HIV positive mothers and better paediatric care, in an effort to rebuild the country’s health services. UNICEF

Posted at: August 2, 2010 3:52 pm

Duration: 01:59

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: ANGOLA / HIV TREATMENT
TRT: 1.59
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / PORTUGUESE / NATS
 
DATELINE: FILE, LUANDA, ANGOLA
 
SHOTLIST:
 
1. Various shots, children playing with blocks
2. Med shot, railroad carriage
3. Various shots, children with therapist
4. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Frangueira Bernadino António, therapist:
"We use their innocence and their play to create pedagogic activity."
5. Various shots, children playing
6. Various shots, mothers and children
7. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Emilia Lay, mother:
"It helps me a lot, to be able to care for her."
8. Med shot, exterior hospital
9. Various shots, parents and children getting advice from doctors
10. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Elisete de Assuncão Fernandes João, doctor:
"A healthy child that can play may have HIV, but the child isn't sick. It can live a normal life like other children."
11. Various shots, parents and children at support group
12. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Emilia Lay, mother:
"It helps. Other people talk about their experience - give testimonies. You are not alone. It gives you strength."
13. Various shots, exteriors of hospital
14. Various shots, children playing with blocks
 
STORYLINE:
 
It looks like a kindergarten, but this is Bernadino Paediatric Hospital in Luanda, where an old train carriage is home to a happy playgroup, led by educational therapists.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Frangueira Bernadino António, therapist:
"We use their innocence and their play to create pedagogic activity."

The children play while they wait to see a doctor. Some, but not all of them are HIV positive. Some of mothers are positive too, and they value the support the hospital gives their children.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Emilia Lay, mother:
"It helps me a lot, to be able to care for her."

The hospital plays a lead role in Angola's health service, which is introducing support groups where mothers get advice about child health and HIV from doctors specializing in paediatric AIDS.

Now, in Angola, children with HIV have a future.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Elisete de Assuncão Fernandes João, doctor:
"A healthy child that can play may have HIV, but the child isn't sick. It can live a normal life like other children."

One of many mothers here finds the support group gives her strength.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Emilia Lay, mother:
"It helps. Other people talk about their experience, give testimonies. You are not alone. It gives you strength."

At Bernadino's and other Angolan hospitals, HIV positive mothers can reduce the risk of infection for their children during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, thanks to free anti-retroviral therapy.

UNICEF is supporting the Angolan government with innovative programs as it rebuilds health services, including the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV, and better pediatric care throughout the country.