New Grant Focuses on Preventing Maternal to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS Virus

SOTENI has received a one-year grant of $25,000 from the Positive Action Children's Fund in Great Britain to reduce the incidence of maternal to child transmission of the HIV/AIDS virus in Ugenya. This rural community has one of the highest prevalence rates (17%) of maternal to child transmission in all of Kenya, and only 29% of Ugenya's pregnant women participate in a transmission prevention program.  The grant will focus on education, counseling of local women and distribution of condoms to pregnant and other women in the community.

Called the C.H.A.P.P. grant (Community-led HIV/AIDS Prevention Program), the funds will enable SOTENI to increase the number of AIDS Barefoot Doctors (ABDs) in Ugenya to seven and provide them with in-depth training on how to prevent infected women from transferring the virus to their babies during the birth process and lactation. The ABDs in turn will train 60 of Ugenya's Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) on prevention practices and clinical care of women with HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. TBAs currently provide pre & post-natal care to women and even deliver babies.  The training will encourage the TBAs to continue providing nurturing support to the women they serve and accompany the women to health facilities for clinical services and delivery of their babies. SOTENI ABDs also will work to develop stronger partnerships with local health facilities and encourage them to participate in refining education programs.   

During the coming year, it is anticipated that 150 HIV-positive pregnant women will receive anti-retroviral treatment through the program, as well as instruction in safe breast feeding practices. The ABDs will also use multiple media outlets and convene 20 barazas (public gatherings) to provide education to the broader community on preventing mother to child transmission, empower women to always choose safe sex practices and attempt to reduce other cultural practices that foster HIV transmission.  Such practices include wife inheritance and polygamy.  It is expected that the C.H.A.P.P. program will improve behavior to prevent AIDS, boost survival rates of newborns and improve service delivery.