9 Jun 2011

MOZAMBIQUE / HIV

Mozambique has made large strides in helping mothers get tested for HIV. If a woman tests positive and takes the necessary medication upon diagnosis, there is a high probability that the child will be free of HIV. UNICEF

Posted at: June 9, 2011 5:56 pm

Duration: 03:29

Available in: SD

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STORY: MOZAMBIQUE / HIV
TRT: 3.29
SOURCE: UNICEF 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: PORTUGUESE / ENGLISH / NATS
 
DATELINE: 29 APRIL 2011, BIERA, MOZAMBIQUE
 
SHOTLIST:
 
1. Wide shot, nurse conducting HIV test at Manhava Beira
2. Various, consultation
3. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Teresa Antonia Fernando, Nurse, Munhava Clinic: 
"We did the test with her because we know it is very important for pregnant woman do the test for HIV. You have to take into account, the other life that she has inside her.  If a pregnant woman with HIV doesn't do the test she runs the risk of the baby being born with HIV as well.  If a pregnant woman does the test and is HIV positive we give her medicine to stop the baby being contaminated too."
4. Various shots, babies at clinic
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Shantha Bloemen UNICEF Chief of Communications, Africa Services Unit:
"Many women drop out of the program due to stigma, due to problems with their husbands, due to problems in the family; due to financial problems of getting to the clinic. So if we only focus on the medical intervention and forget the social support we won't succeed in making sure every child is born negative."
7. Various shots, support group 
8. SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Isabella Domingo, Health Worker:
"We tell mothers, 'Mother, you already know your results, that you have HIV, so you think your life has just ended here and you're not going to do anything else because you have the HIV virus.'
We tell them that if you follow the treatment you will longer – and the baby you are expecting is going to need you depend on you."
9. Med shot, Isabella walks down street
10. Various shots, Beira
11. Various shots, Isabella testing Raphael for HIV

STORYLINE:
 
Ending new HIV infections in infants and children begins with a test.

Finding out a mother's status gives the nurse Teresa the best possible chance of preventing the baby from being infected.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Teresa Antonia Fernando, Nurse, Munhava Clinic:
"We did the test with her because; we know it is very important for pregnant woman do the test for HIV.  You have to take into account, the other life that she has inside her.  If a pregnant woman with HIV doesn't do the test she runs the risk of the baby being born with HIV as well.  If a pregnant woman does the test and is HIV positive we give her medicine to stop the baby being contaminated too."

Mozambique has made large strides in helping mothers get tested for HIV.  If a woman tests positive and takes the necessary medication upon diagnosis, there is a high probability that the child will be free of HIV.
 
But getting women to follow the correct process is not always easy.

SOUNDBITE (English) Shantha Bloemen, UNICEF Chief of Communications, Africa Services Unit:
"Many women drop out of the program due to stigma, due to problems with their husbands, due to problems in the family due to financial problems of getting to the clinic. So if we only focus on the medical intervention and forget the social support we won't succeed in making sure every child is born negative."

Faced with hostility from outside, the HIV positive mum's have come together to help each other. The name of this support group means "we will save each other" – and new mums and pregnant women come here to share advice.

Leading discussions is Isabella, the mother of three boys her husband left her when she told him she was HIV positive.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Isabella Domingo, Health worker
"We tell mothers, 'Mother, you already know your results, that you have HIV, so you think your life has just ended here and you're not going to do anything else because you have the HIV virus'. We tell them that if you follow the treatment you will longer – and the baby you are expecting is going to need you depend on you."

Isabella also heads out into Beira city to try and encourage women to return to the clinic to the clinic for treatment. A busy port city, Beira has one of Mozambique's highest rates of HIV infection, with one in three pregnant women thought to be HIV positive.

Today Isabella is meeting with Fatima. Having been supported through the birth of her son and subsequent treatment all the signs are that Raphael has avoided HIV being passed on.

A quick blood test and the good news is confirmed

"I'm so happy" says Fatima.

She will be on medication for the rest of her life, but Raphael has the rest of his life to look forward to. Thanks to modern medicine and the support of her peers, HIV's deadly cycle has been broken.