Health
HIV-positive pregnant women can now have vaginal delivery –NACA
By Francesca Hangeior.
Now, pregnant women living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus who are on Antiretroviral Therapy and have a low or undetectable viral load can have a vaginal delivery, says the National Agency for the Control of AIDS.
In as much as HIV can pass to the infant during birth, NACA said the risk of transmission is low in women with virally suppressed loads.
The agency noted that the advances in HIV treatment have greatly lowered the chances that a birthing parent would pass HIV on to their baby (also known as perinatal HIV transmission, vertical transmission, and sometimes called ‘mother-to-child’ transmission).
According to NACA, Nigeria has the highest burden of children born with HIV in the world.
It, however, warned that HIV can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding if she is not on treatment.
The Deputy Director, Community Prevention and Care Department, NACA, Dr Yewande Olaifa, said for many years now, pregnant women living with HIV have been giving birth vaginally and not only through caesarean sections.
Olaifa said, “Yes, for over a decade now, vaginally, women can deliver unless it is contraindicated because of obstetrics matters.
“But as long as there is no contraindication, she can deliver per vaginal irrespective of the fact that she is HIV positive.
“What is important is that if she is HIV positive, she is on treatment not only for herself but also for the baby. So if we can bring the viral load down with ART, the probability that she will transmit to the baby is limited.”
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists also affirms that vaginal delivery is appropriate for HIV-infected pregnant women, who have been maintained on combined antiretroviral therapy and who have viral loads of 1,000 copies/mL or less at or near delivery.
Speaking further, the deputy director said it is also compulsory to test all pregnant women for HIV when they come to for antenatal clinic, stressing that it helps in the prevention of motor-to-child transmission of the disease.
According to the World Health Organisation, without any intervention, the risk of HIV transmission from a mother to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or breastfeeding can be as high as 45 per cent.
As such, the WHO states that the identification of HIV infection should be immediately followed by an offer of linkage to lifelong treatment and care, including support to remain in care and virally suppressed, as well as an offer of partner services.
Nigeria faces a critical challenge in PMTCT of HIV and ensuring access to care for children living with HIV.
According to NACA, its epidemiological estimates indicate that 140, 000 children under 14 are living with HIV as of 2023, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths in children.
The agency disclosed that current PMTCT and paediatric HIV coverage remain alarmingly low at less than 33 per cent, far short of the 95 per cent target.
Meanwhile, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS established the 95-95-95 targets calling for 95 per cent of all people living with HIV to know their HIV status, 95 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection to receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy to have viral suppression by 2030.
Health
READ about indicators that you maybe having liver related problems
The liver is an organ that sits just under the rib cage on the right side of the abdomen.
It can weigh up to 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms).
The liver is needed to help digest food, rid the body of waste products and make substances, called clotting factors, that keep the blood flowing well, among other tasks.
If there are symptoms of liver disease, they may include:
*Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, called jaundice. …
*Belly pain and swelling.
*Swelling in the legs and ankles.
*Itchy skin.
*Dark urine.
*Pale stool.
*Constant tiredness.
*Nausea or vomiting.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms please see your doctor.
Health
Benue records 20 suspected cases of Mpox, four confirmed
Benue state government said it has recorded 20 suspected cases of Mpox with four of the cases confirmed.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr Asema Msuega, who disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday in Makurdi, said three of the cases have been treated and discharged while the fourth case was just confirmed last week Friday, September 6, 2024.
He said “For this year up-to-date, we have 20 suspected cases of Mpox and four confirmed cases in Benue State.
“Initially, we have three confirmed cases that were treated and discharged from isolation center, the fourth case was just confirmed last week Friday from the reference laboratory.”
According to him, the fourth patient who is still in isolation is receiving treatment and responding well.
He said the confirmed cases are from two local government areas of the state including Makurdi and Gwer West adding “But for the suspected cases, they cut across five local government areas of the state; Ushongo, Kastina-Ala, Gboko, Makurdi and Gwer West.
“The most recent is from Gwer East which sample we have sent to the laboratory and awaiting result before the end of this week.”
Msuega who stated that many of the suspected cases have also come out of isolation, explained that “it’s not every case that we take to hospital for isolation, we advised some to self isolate at home just like we were doing during the outbreak of COVID-19.”
He said the patients are being treated at the isolation center of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) the government is carrying out massive awareness campaigns to educate people about the disease and to imbibe basic prevention and control measures including washing of hands, avoiding unnecessary contacts with people, especially suspected person.
While harping on early detection and reporting, Msuega urged the Benue public to report suspected cases to appropriate authorities especially the nearest health centres, be it primary, secondary or tertiary health centres.
Health
Resident doctors end warning strike
Striking resident doctors yesterday ended their seven-day industrial action.
The strike was meant to persuade the government and security agencies to rescue one of their colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola-Olawale, who has been in her abductors’ den since December 27, last year.
The warning strike, which began on August 26, faced strong opposition from the Federal Government, which threatened to enforce a ‘no work, no pay’ policy against their doctors.
The government expressed disappointment over the union’s decision to embark on the strike, claiming that despite being informed of the various steps it was taking to address the situation, the union still went on strike.
Despite this threat, the doctors saw the strike to its end.
Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) President Dele Abdullahi said the association would reassess the Federal Government’s actions over the next three weeks to ensure meaningful progress.
He said: “We are suspending the strike now. We will be meeting to review the progress the government has made in the next three weeks. “
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