MJAP has donated a consignment of medical equipment to different districts in the East Central region. The equipment includes examination beds, examination screens, adult weighing scales, infant weighing scales, BP machines, fetoscopes, and stadiometers.
A recent report by the Uganda Ministry of Health shows a significant reduction in the rates of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country. These rates dropped from over 20 percent in 2000 to 2.8 percent in 2021.
The equipment was received from the U.S. Emergency Plan for AIDS (PEPFAR). This will go along way in boosting the capacity of the public health centers to improve healthcare outcomes for mothers and children in line to eliminate Mother-To-Child Transmission (eMTCT) of HIV in Uganda.
In her remarks, Sister Kawaala Elizabeth-ADHO, MCH Mayuge district expressed delight to be a part of the handover ceremony. โChildren are our soft spot as caregivers, so we are excited to support MJAP in their effort to improve PMTCT services at the HCIIs,โ she remarked. โThese medical supplies will help mothers and babies access quality health care in Mayuge District, and we really appreciate the US government and the American people for this great donation,โ Sister Elizabeth added.
Ms. Ritah Nakisige, the PMTCT specialist at MJAP, thanked PEPFAR and USAID for improving health service delivery at HCIIs, where most mothers in rural communities access antenatal services. She also thanked the Ministry of Health for contributing to the overall goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Uganda.
For a woman living with HIV, achieving viral load suppression through effective HIV treatment virtually eliminates the possibility of transmitting HIV to her child. From 2017 to 2019, PEPFAR provided $3.25 million through the CDC to evaluate the impact of programs geared toward preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) in Uganda.
