Zimbabwe: Efforts intensified to minimize mother-to-child HIV transmission to below 5%

The Government of Zimbabwe continues to map out strategies to reduce the rate of HIV transmission from mothers to their children to below 5%, as part of ongoing national efforts to eliminate new HIV infections and safeguard the health of future generations.

The target was revealed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care during a National AIDS Council (NAC) media engagement in Kwekwe recently. The meeting, which brought together journalists from across the Midlands Provinc,e seek to raise awareness on the country’s HIV response and challenges, particularly in preventing vertical transmission.

Before 2010, a Zimbabwean baby born to a mother living with HIV had a one in four chance of becoming infected. In 2014, the odds had fallen to one in fifteen. Zimbabwe has made huge progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Mother-to-Child transmission
Globally, around 1.5 million women living with HIV become pregnant each year. Without antiretroviral drugs, up to 40% of their babies will also get HIV. Without treatment, half of these children will die before their second birthday.

Despite greater access to treatment, over 210,000 children were infected with HIV in 2012. Zimbabwe had one of the highest burdens of new HIV infections among infants in the world.

HIV tracking

One of the early challenges was keeping track of pregnant women who had begun treatment but were not returning to replenish their drugs every three or four weeks before giving birth. Pregnant women with HIV need to take their drugs regularly to have the best chance of protecting their babies. An electronic database and a ‘track and trace’ system were introduced at a number of clinics to enable better tracking of both mothers and babies on treatment.

Data showed that 65% of women on treatment returned for the first time when they ran out of drugs.

This fell to 47% and only 31% on subsequent visits. Meanwhile, changes were made to ensure that mothers and children accessto regular interactions with Zimbabwe’s health service providers in clinics or at homes.

The Midlands Provincial HIV Focus Person, Brian Musayerenga, underscored the importance of strengthening interventions aimed at curbing the transmission of HIV from pregnant mothers to their babies.

“Our national target is clear. We want to reduce the vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child to below 5%. Currently, we stand at around 7.4% nationally, which means out of every 100 babies born to HIV-positive mothers, about eight are born HIV-positive,” he said.

However, Musayerenga said the Midlands Province continues to face greater challenges, with figures slightly higher than the national average, pointing out the need for action.

In the Midlands, the situation is more concerning. For every 100 babies born to HIV-positive mothers, approximately 10 are born HIV-positive. This is a call to action for all stakeholders,” he said.

Mother-to-child transmission remains one of the leading causes of new HIV infections in children. Experts emphasise that early antenatal care visits, consistent HIV testing, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and safe infant feeding practices are crucial to reducing the risk.

HIV Scaling up

The Ministry of Health, together with NAC and its partners, is scaling up prevention programmes, community education, and treatment services in the fight to eliminate paediatric HIV infections.

Despite significant economic problems in Zimbabwe, the donor community continues to contribute towards strengthening the country’s health delivery system. This involves training health workers, improving information systems, and increasing access to care as the government continues to channel more funding towards HIV programming.

As of 2015, 95% of health facilities in Zimbabwe now offer services for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This significant step marks efforts towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission.