Pregnant Women asked to go for HIV testing to protect their babies

Bolgatanga, May 19, GNA - Pregnant women in the Upper East Region were on Monday urged to go for voluntary HIV testing at the health institutions that they go to for antenatal care, so that measures could be taken to protect the unborn child from infection. "Even though pregnant women are not under obligation to test for HIV, it would be better for them to know their status, so that they could take precautions to protect the child from getting infected," Mr Samuel Anyogdem, Regional Health Coordinator for HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis said.

He made the call at Bolgatanga during a workshop on Mother to Child Transmission.

Mr Anyogdem assured the pregnant women that there were trained health personnel to counsel them, before and after testing, and antiretroviral drugs for all who tested positive. "The chances that an infected pregnant woman would not transmit it to her child is about 60 per cent and more, but the 40 per cent chance that the baby could get infected, be it when it is still in the womb, while being born or during breast feeding, is a matter of concern and it is this that Ghana Health Service (GHS) wants to prevent," Mr Anyogdem said.

The workshop, organized by the GHS for Midwives and Community Health Nurses in the Region, was aimed at increasing the knowledge and skills of the health personnel, who meet pregnant women, in mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Mr Anyogdem explained that it was a measure taken by the GHS to limit the transmission of HIV/AIDS from mothers to their children, thereby protecting children from getting infected. He cautioned the health personnel to take care not to expose themselves to risk factors like needle pricks or broken skin, getting into contact with infected blood while working, and advised them to take post exposure prophylaxis as a precautionary measure, in case such a thing happened.

The health personnel were also trained on how to counsel clients, before and after testing. They were taught how to test for HIV, feeding options for HIV exposed infants, handling stigma and discrimination related to mother to child transmission, and safety and supportive care in the work environment.

The Participants also learnt about other sexually transmitted diseases and their relation to HIV/AIDS. 19 May 09