PMTCT

mothers2mothers (m2m) is an African NGO working towards the Global Goals of ensuring good health for all and ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The organization focuses on three core client groups—women, children, and adolescents—serving those living with HIV, and also those who are HIV-negative but at high risk of infection. m2m delivers services by training and employing local women living with HIV as Community Health Workers called Mentor Mothers.

BACKGROUND: Increased demand for healthcare services in countries experiencing high HIV disease burden and often coupled with a shortage of health workers, has necessitated task shifting from professional health workers to Lay Health Workers (LHWs) in order to improve healthcare delivery. Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services particularly benefit from task-shifting to LHWs or similar cadres. However, evidence on the roles and usefulness of LHWs in MCH service delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is not fully known.

BACKGROUND: South Africa's prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) programme has undergone rapid changes in the last two decades. Initially, the provision of single antiretroviral therapy was based on eligibility criteria in the year 2001, which later changed to combination therapy. This was aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

BACKGROUND: In Malawi's PMTCT Option B+ program, HIV-infected pregnant women who are already receiving ART are continued on their current therapy regimen without testing for treatment failure at the first antenatal care (ANC) visit. HIV RNA screening at ANC may identify women with treatment failure and ensure that viral suppression is maintained throughout the pregnancy.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, prevention of mother-to-child transmission services are encountering increasing numbers of women already established on antiretroviral therapy (ART) when entering antenatal care. However, there are few data examining ART adherence and HIV viral load in this group.

Background

Known as the “African CROI” the INTEREST Conference brings together scientists involved in HIV treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention research in Africa to share pivotal findings, promote collaboration, and transfer experiences across several fields and many continents. The conference will showcase cutting-edge knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and the prevention of the HIV-1 infection.