The Ministry of Health and Services has revealed that among the 552 reported cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) this year, the youngest individual infected is under one year old. This information was shared by Dr. Rachael Devi, Head of Family Health at the Ministry, during the opening of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Coverage Survey Training at the FNU Campus in Tamavua.
Dr. Devi indicated that the primary mode of transmission in this case is from mother to child. She emphasized the importance of conducting further immunisation vaccination surveys, as these initiatives have significantly reduced the number of deaths among young children.
She noted that despite this concerning statistic, there is an increasing possibility for babies to be born without HIV. “We’ve had numerous mothers who were HIV positive deliver healthy, negative babies,” Dr. Devi stated. She mentioned the concept of ‘you equal to you,’ which posits that individuals who are HIV positive and adhere to their treatment can reduce their viral load to undetectable levels, thus not transmitting the virus to their partners.
Dr. Devi encouraged expecting mothers to come forward for testing early in their pregnancies. She explained that the training includes fieldwork that involves random household surveys, in collaboration with the Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation (WHO). This two-week training is aimed at improving immunisation coverage on the ground.
She reassured mothers, “Don’t be scared, come in and get tested. We have had many healthy births. We are conducting tests across the board, but we need individuals to step forward. We have lost patients due to ignorance and those unwilling to seek treatment. Get tested and know your results,” Dr. Devi urged.