It is baby Precious’ third birthday.
Even her grandparents travelled all the way from Muzarabani to attend their grandchild’s birthday party, which was a great spectacle as the little girl giggled and danced with her mates.
However, the little girl fails to blow the three candles on her bright pink cake, resulting in bursts of laughter from family members.
Being January most people barely have enough to send their children to school.
So one wonders why the Nzous defied the odds and went on to celebrate the birthday of a three-year-old?
Precious is a “precious” baby and to her family “a miracle baby”.
Being the couple’s only child after nearly a decade of failing to give birth is arguably reason enough to cherish the toddler the way they do.
During their first year of marriage it appeared the heavens had smiled upon them as her mother did not have problems falling pregnant.
However, her mother’s pregnancies would not carry beyond the second trimester as miscarriages seemed to be the order of the day on three consecutive occasions.
In their quest for the elusive child the couple had travelled from faith to traditional healers.
Some of the faith healers even blamed the couple’s jealous relatives as the cause of their childlessness which drove a wedge within the extended family unit.
This culminated in the newly weds cutting ties with whoever was fingered in the witch hunt.
The straw that broke the camel’s back appeared to be the third miscarriage which resulted in the couple trading accusations and insults.
Precious’ father, Charles, lamented that her maternal grandmother was the cause of their misfortune and even talked of her alleged plan to send him to meet his maker.
Constance could not stomach the “abuse” and informed her mother. Luckily, the wise woman was not offended and took it all in her stride. She told her daughter that she had been waiting for the day such would happen.
“Constance, your miscarriages have been of concern to me for sometime now. Do you recall when I pointed out to you that you needed to have an HIV test? You laughed it off and said that both you and your husband were virgins when you got married and there was no need for such and resultantly I had no power to pursue the issue,” said Constance’s mother.
The mother advised that Constance return to her matrimonial home and in the company of her husband visit a New Start Centre for testing.
Charles did not refuse when he heard this from his wife as he was afraid of suggesting it himself. He was grateful that his mother-in-law had come to the rescue.
The couple visited their local clinic and a thorough counselling session for the two was carried out. The counsellor fully explained the benefits and thanked them for coming.
After the counselling they were tested and then they did not use the rapid testing method opting for the longer waiting period which proved rather stressful.
When they finally returned for the results their fears were confirmed as both tested HIV positive.
Charles was devastated by the results whilst Constance was shattered considering that she had only been intimate with him.
Charles said they got further counselling after the results and since Constance was expecting again, she was asked to register at an ante-natal clinic as soon as possible.
“Constance was devastated; as she wept for days on end. The first person I got hold of was my mother-in-law. She said we had done the right thing and said she was on her way to see us,” said Charles.
Charles said that his mother-in-law became their pillar of strength and saw to it that their marriage survived the turbulent spring.
“My mother-in-law had for a long time been working as a counsellor. We thought she was an environmental health technician, a job she was trained to do. She had gone a step further and taken counselling so she was not a stranger to a predicament like ours,” said Charles.
Charles pointed out at the party that he was grateful to his mother-in-law who was one of the counsellors who had virtually saved his family from the abyss hence the celebration this time around.
There was no fingerpointing as food and drink flowed.
So January 7, 2012 was more than a birthday. It was a counselling and awareness campaign for those who were present. Some were shocked but the birthday party celebrated the precious gift that Precious is.
Constance, who is a person of a few words, would only smile and said thank you to all who had come.
Precious was happy and too young to understand the joy and celebration but she appeared to be in a jovial mood all the same.
Charles assured all the other people present that it was high time everyone knew their status.
He narrated their visit to the ante-natal clinic together with his wife and talked of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT).
This transmission, known as vertical transmission, can now be eliminated if mothers take the needed steps to register at health centres.
The chances of the virus being passed from mother to baby during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding can now be reduced.
Precious is living testimony to the success of the programme as she is HIV negative.
The Elizabeth Glaser Foundation through its Family Aids Initiatives (FAI) partners in Zimbabwe is working in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in the PMTCT programmes. The foundation had 620 sites national as of December 2009.
The organisation has reached out to 620 000 pregnant women of these 72 percent were tested for HIV, 78 000 women living with HIV have received some form of anti-retroviral to prevent their babies from being infected.
“We know, however, there is still much to be done to ensure that pregnant women living with HIV, even in the remotest areas, have access to effective interventions to ensure that they remain healthy and their babies remain HIV-free as well,” said a report in their book “A Generation Free of HIV”.
“The national programme has thus far reached 49 percent of all HIV-positive women in Zimbabwe. In developed countries the figure is close to 100 percent,” said the report.
The user fees which are still charged by clinics could be an impediment as some women fail to raise the US$30 required. In such remote areas, the long distances to the nearest health facility can also be a deterrent.
The PMTCT programmes not only offer medication but also give psychological support for those living positively.
The biggest challenge after mothers had tested HIV positive was to have them return to the health facilities for further treatment and post-testing counselling.
“When a mother tests HIV positive and is in need of treatment more efficacious regimes of drugs (MER) are used.
“Once a mother has delivered, the baby is also given ARVs to prevent infection,” said the report.
A mother selects the mode of feeding depending on her ability but generally exclusive breastfeeding is advised during the first six months.
From six weeks onwards the baby can be tested for the first time and if the baby is being breastfed further tests are required to be conducted at six months and 18 months.
For babies they use the DNA PCR dry blood test which is thorough.
If not breastfed then the results are presumed to be conclusive.
If a baby is found to be HIV negative then the cotrimoxazole which was given is stopped.
If the child turns out to be HIV positive he or she is immediately placed on ART syrups.
Today over 16 000 HIV positive children are living healthy lives in Zimbabwe as they take ART medication. Most of these were infected prior to the onset of the PMTCT programme.
There is a possibility vertical infections will soon become a thing of the past. It is possible to have an HIV-free generation.
As the nation joins the world in attaining the three zeros, these being zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids- related deaths may all expectant mothers make it their business to register.
If the user fee is a hindrance they it is recommended they see the matron and discuss a payment plan. In some instances the user fee has been waived.
May we strive to have an HIV-free generation as we bring to life HIV negative babies. It is possible with you playing your part. Together we can have an HIV-free generation.
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