Babies still born with HIV

CONCERN: RISING MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSMISSION WORRISOME

- Zanele Mbengo

Discovering her status during pregnancy devastates Tshwane mother.

Sarah Mokoena's fivemonth-old daughter is among the more than 230 babies born with HIV in Gauteng during the first six months of this year.

Despite the availability of drugs to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV for over 25 years, the persistence of new cases highlights ongoing challenges in effectively implementing these interventions.

Mokoena noted how her journey through MTCT of HIV affected her emotionally and mentally.

Her HIV-positive status during pregnancy brought uncertainty about her baby's health.

"Despite diligently attending antenatal clinics and receiving support from health care providers, the news that my daughter had also contracted HIV was devastating," she said.

This followed the City of Tshwane health department's stated concern over the prevalence of MTCT of HIV in the Tshwane district.