THE prevention, care and treatment services provided by Tanzania Health Promotion Support (THPS) in collaboration with the government has contributed to realisation of negligible count of mother -to-child HIV transmission in Kigoma Region.

This is part of THPS’s five-year (2021-2026) project dubbed ‘Afya Hatua’ funded by the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (US CDC).

Dr Julius Zelothe, THPS   said this here at the weekend during a two-day media tour aimed at giving journalists a chance to witness the impact of the project's interventions.

He said the key initiatives were based on Paediatric Retention on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Services, provision of community ART refill services and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) through psychosocial groups aimed at providing high-quality HIV prevention, care and treatment services.

“The project in collaboration with the regional and council health management team implemented strategies to ensure provision of quality prevention, care and treatment services at the 69 Afya Hatua project supported health facilities in the region. Furthermore, in the period from June 2023 to May 2024, 92 percent of children currently enrolled on ART had virally suppressed HIV,” he said.

According to him, the project in collaboration with the regional reproductive and child health coordinator, established 32 PMTCT groups which provided psychosocial support and education to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers whereas from June 2023 to May 2024, 551 women attended the groups and 551 of their children were confirmed to be HIV negative.

He further said that as an additional key strategy of the project, in March this year, THPS had handed over a refurbished Ilagala care and treatment clinic to Uvinza District worth 211m/- in the region; an initiative aimed at supporting the government's efforts in creating a conducive environment that provides high quality care and treatment services to recipients of care.

Dr Isaya Mapunda, acting Regional Medical Officer, underscored THPS's initiative on raising community awareness and healthcare linkage in remote areas that has aided in reducing HIV viral load among recipients of care in the region.

He further noted that mother-to child HIV transmission has been managed to 1.3 percent in the year 2022, 1 percent last year with an expectation of realizing negligible count in the near future.

“HIV prevalence in Kigoma is currently estimated at 1.7 percent, likewise prevalence among women attending antenatal clinics have been managed to 0.16 percent in 2022 and clocked to 0.13 percent last year,” he said.

Mathew Joram, a medical officer at Rusimbi Dispensary in Kigoma municipality which is among the Afya Hatua project supported facilities, said the facility currently supports a total of 305 recipients of care, including 15 mothers who gave birth recently. Out of this, 14 delivered babies who are HIV negative.