There are strong
indications that Nigeria would one day succeed in eliminating Human
Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and
syphilis infection from mother-to-child.
Confirming this are experts who agree that
if Nigeria adopts and implements policies like Cuba, which recently became the
number one country in the world to end mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of
HIV, she will achieve the same result.
Recently, and Joint United Nations
programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization (WHO) declared Cuba
the first country in the world to eliminate the transmission of HIV and
syphilis from mother to child.
In a statement which WHO sent through an
international delegation who were in Cuba in March, it (the world health body)
and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) certified the country as
having met the criteria. In 2013, only
two children in Cuba were born with HIV and five with syphilis, the statement
said.
The PAHO and WHO credited Cuba with
offering women early access to prenatal care, HIV and syphilis testing, and
treatment for mothers who test positive. The two organizations began an effort
to end congenital transmission of HIV and syphilis in Cuba and other countries
in the Americas in 2010.
“Cuba’s success demonstrates that universal
access and universal health coverage are feasible and indeed are the key to
success, even against challenges as daunting as HIV,” PAHO Director Carissa
Etienne said in the statement.
Reacting to this, Dr. Dan Onwujekwe, Chief
Researcher, Clinical Division, NIMR, said: “Ending MTCT of HIV is achievable,
it is doable. It is not rocket science, it is what we can do especially, if
everyone knows their HIV status; if every woman, who is pregnant, knows her HIV
status and is aware of the Prevention of MTCT HIV programme and begins
treatment to suppress the viral load before she delivers. We need to also teach
them the kind of breastfeeding practice to adopt after delivery, so that the
virus is not transmitted to the baby.”
A cross section of women waiting for counseling
during the unveiling of
Mrs Abimbola Fashola, wife of the former
Governor of Lagos State,
as face of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT)
of HIV in the
State in Ikeja, recently. PHOTO: CHIOMA UMEHA
Concerning NIMR’s effort in the control of
MTCT of HIV, Onwujekwe said: “Since we started the treatment on pregnant women,
none of them has delivered a HIV positive baby. The only different thing that
Cuba has done is signing people for treatment early and making sure they manage
them in labour and after delivery; that is all. It is doable, it is not magic.
The whole world can achieve it.”
Corroborating, Dr. Oliver Ezechi, the
Deputy Director, Research & Consultant Obstetric gynaecologist, NIMR,
reasoned, that if all pregnant women in the country can be reached with HIV
test, with drugs administered on those found positive, apart from advising them on what to do, then the babies
will come out negative as long as they adhere to instruction.
“Once we can reach a pregnant woman, we go
ahead to carry out an HIV test on her. If she is positive, we administer a
drug, advice her on what to do; if she follows it, that baby comes out
negative. It is doable,” Ezechi said.
However, the Deputy Director, Research
lamented dearth of research and accurate data. He said: “But we don’t even know
the number of people who are pregnant in Nigeria: this is where we have to
start. We don’t have HIV counseling and testing units in villages.”
He also stressed: “We should also put laws
in place, like imprisonment for those that infect others with HIV; knowingly or
unknowingly. This is the reason why Cuba is the best country in the world. They
have very tight rules and they know the consequences of deliberately exposing a
child. If it were in Nigeria, they would go to court to say it is a breach of
their fundamental human right.”
Commenting, in an online interview, the
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) HIV Specialist, Dr. Abiola Davies, said
this is good news; it means that Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission
(EMTCT) of HIV is achievable.
“It means if the appropriate policies and
plans are put in place by a committed government, we shall also see better results in Nigeria,” Davies
said, adding that a government-led programme with evidence-based plans at state
and LGAs that is fully resourced will enable the country to achieve EMTCT of
HIV. However, she regretted that most of HIV programmes are donor driven.
The Director- General, NIMR, Prof. Emmanuel
Ujah, observing that Nigeria is a big country with distinct socio cultural
differences noted, “It is not going to be easy but we are moving; we are on the
right path. After all, NIMR has reduced maternal to child transmission of
HIV/AIDS to less than one per cent. In my opinion, we will do well as long as
we remain focused. But it would take some time because Nigeria is a very large
country.”
This story was published in Newswatch Times on September 24, 2015.
This story was published in Newswatch Times on September 24, 2015.
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