HIV-positive mothers bear healthy kids

Chitwan, December 2

The 29th World Aids Day was celebrated with a slogan 'Prevention of HIV, our duty' with much enthusiasm globally. About 36.7 million people contracted HIV by 2015.

As per an estimate, the number stands at 39,397 in Nepal with 28,865 of HIV cases identified in July 2016. A total of 12,446 individuals are on antiretroviral therapy.

Dramatic findings on the effectiveness of ART have been recorded in several regions. According to data, women who tested positive for HIV and started ART are now producing healthy babies.

As per the data, 72 HIV-positive women, who are receiving antiretroviral therapy from a centre run by Bharatpur Hospital in support of AHF Nepal AIDS Healthcare Foundation, have given birth to babies in Chitwan. Of the 72 babies born from such mothers since 2007, only three were found to have contracted the disease. It has been noted that the babies who tested positive for HIV from birth were born before 2010.

At the end of 2016, five HIV positive women who sought help from the ART centre have all reportedly given birth to healthy babies as shared by programmed coordinator Krishnahari Sapkota.

From the time it was first established, the ART centre has recorded 1,347 HIV-positive persons, including 709 men, 525 women and 113 kids. The number stood at  904 by 2010 and steadily decreased; 92, 83 and 57 in the year 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively.

"As per the data, it can be seen that the number of HIV cases has gone down in recent years. Whatever new  cases have been found they were in fact old cases who didn’t come to our  contact earlier due to various reasons," Sapkota said.

Further, it has been learnt that some 672 HIV-positive persons are receiving ART service from the centre now. Of them, 317 are women, 326 males and six children. As informed by Sapkota, 119 HIV-positive persons of those who have come for treatment at the centre have died. Of the deceased, 83 were men, while 30 and six were women and children respectively.

In the meantime, District Public Health Office HIV Focal Person Anup Adhikari presented data that clearly indicates that more persons from the urban areas visit the centre.