DRC / HIV

In August 2013 the Democratic Republic of Congo was among the first African countries to introduce Option B+, an innovative approach to eliminate new HIV infections in children. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:28
• Production Date: 28 November 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HEALTH; HIV AND AIDS
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: U131128a

Description

STORY: DRC / HIV
TRT: 2.28
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: SWAHILI / FRENCH / NATS

DATELINE: NOVEMBER 2013, LUBUMBASHI, DR CONGO

Shotlist

1. Med shot, hospital waiting room
2. Med shot, women in waiting room
3. Various shots, nurse drawing blood and testing
4. SOUNDBITE (French), Alain Nzengu, Nurse, St Bernadette Health Centre:
“With Option B+, nurses like me can prescribe antiretroviral to pregnant women living with HIV within the prevention of mother to child (PMTCT) programme. We advise them to take one pill per day. We advise them to take their antiretroviral medication during pregnancy and childbirth. After giving birth, the mother will continue taking her antiretroviral treatment for the rest of her life.”
5. Various shots, blood testing
6. Med shot, Alain explains results to a patient
7. SOUNDBITE (Swahili), Jeanne, Pregnant Woman living with HIV:
“He told me that if I take this medicine I will prevent my child from being born with HIV. He told me that the baby will also have to take the medicine until he’s one month old. Then the baby will stop taking the medicine, but I will continue taking it. This medicine gives me more reassurance that my baby will be fine, although at first I could not believe it.”
8. Close up, pan right, Jeanne with female nurse
9. Med shot, Jeanne and other women in waiting room
10. SOUNDBITE (French), Alain Nzengu, Nurse, St Bernadette Health Centre:
“It is the women themselves who pass the message on to other women in their towns. When people see a woman changing from being thin and weak to being strong and healthy, they’re going to tell their friends that there are very effective medicines at the health centre. So we hope that by 2015, we will have reached our objective of zero new infections and zero babies born with HIV.”
11. Med shot, Alain exams Jeanne
12. Close up, Alain's hands on Jeanne's belly

Storyline

In August 2013 the Democratic Republic of Congo was among the first African countries to introduce Option B+, an innovative approach to eliminate new HIV infections in children.

Option B+ offers all pregnant or breastfeeding women living with the virus lifesaving antiretroviral treatment for their entire lives.

The new simplified antiretroviral therapy consists of one pill once a day.

Alain Nzengu is a nurse in St Bernadette Health Centre.

“With Option B+, nurses like me can prescribe antiretroviral to pregnant women living with HIV within the prevention of mother to child (PMTCT) programme. We advise them to take one pill per day. We advise them to take their antiretroviral medication during pregnancy and childbirth. After giving birth, the mother will continue taking her antiretroviral treatment for the rest of her life.”-says Alain.

Option B+ also offers to expecting mothers a hope that their babies will not be born with HIV.

Jeanne, who lives with HIV and is pregnant have a confidence in the new medicine.

“He told me that if I take this medicine I will prevent my child from being born with HIV. He told me that the baby will also have to take the medicine until he’s one month old. Then the baby will stop taking the medicine, but I will continue taking it. This medicine gives me more reassurance that my baby will be fine, although at first I could not believe it.” – adds Jeanne.

Lifelong antiretroviral treatment for all pregnant women living with HIV has been rolled out in several health facilities in Katanga, which is one of the provinces with the highest HIV prevalence in DRC. But it is up to community to do the promotion part.

“It is the women themselves who pass the message on to other women in their towns. When people see a woman changing from being thin and weak to being strong and healthy, they’re going to tell their friends that there are very effective medicines at the health centre. So we hope that by 2015, we will have reached our objective of zero new infections and zero babies born with HIV.” – says Alain.

It is expected that with this new approach, more pregnant women living with the virus will be put on treatment, thus reducing the number of new infections in children.