Anua Moriri Day Care Centre, located at the back of Lae’s Angau Hospital, today, reported that they successfully delivered 80 babies born without HIV to mothers living with the HIV.
The Regional Medical Officer of HIV and STI, Dr. Elsie Ryan, says since 2007, the Care Centre registered more than 400 HIV positive women.
These women went through the Prevention of Parent to Child transmission program. Today, the Day Care Centre joined the rest of the country to commemorate the World Aids Day with one of their success stories.
Dr. Ryan, when speaking during the World Aids Day celebration at the Angau Hospital, said that in the Morobe province there are more than 3,000 people living with HIV and AIDS. They are part of a national figure of 40,000 documented adults and children living with HIV & AIDS in PNG. On average, 16 cases are HIV positive, out of 20 consultations in a week.
Dr. Ryan adds, HIV & AIDS is a multisectoral disease, as it affects all societies.
According to Dr. Ryan, through the prevention of Parent-to-Child transmission program, 80 babies born from HIV positive mothers are HIV negative.
34-year-old Anton Tom, has been living with HIV & AIDS for 12 years now. He was first diagnosed in 2004.
His 7-year-old daughter is HIV negative. She and 79 other babies were born at the clinic.
Anton is appealing to people living with HIV & AIDS to come forward and seek medical advice, especially if they are planning to have children, in order to avoid passing on the virus to their unborn child.
He also stressed the importance of family members showing love, care and support to their relatives or family members who are HIV positive.
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