Blantyre, Malawi – A DREAM International Workshop on the prevention of mother to child transmission of AIDS
On March 4, an International Workshop on the DREAM model for the Prevention of mother to child transmission of AIDS and on the collaboration in this sector between DREAM and the Government of Malawi took place in Blantyre.
The meeting was held in the great hall of the Faculty of Medicine, filled on this occasion by a crowd composed of participants of the “I DREAM” Movement, as well as of representatives from the health field, the University, the cooperation, and international agencies.
Also present were the Principal Secretary for HIV/AIDS and Nutrition for Malawi, Dr Mary Shawa, the Director of the National AIDS Commission, Dr Mwale, and the director of the Health Department’s HIV Unit, Dr Kamoto, who brought to the meeting the Minister of Health’s greeting and his appreciation for DREAM’s contribution to the battle against AIDS in Malawi.
The afternoon opened with a welcome by the rector of the Faculty of Medicine, Professor Broadhead, who emphasized DREAM’s contribution to the development of a dynamic approach and research in the fight against AIDS, and by Pacem Mnyenyembe, of the “I DREAM” movement, who voiced the cries of the HIV-positive mothers forced to face in themselves a condition so painful that at times they give up every hope, the hope that was restored to many, thanks to having met with DREAM.
The main session of the Seminar consisted in the presentation of three consecutive reports focused on the theme of mother to child transmission. Such reports bring to light the enormous advantages of an approach which is able to protect the health of both the woman and the newborn, and whose effectiveness extends from pregnancy until birth and for the entire nursing period.
The reduction in maternal mortality, infant mortality, the number of spontaneous abortions, of still births, and above all the number of children born without HIV from HIV-positive mothers, are the concrete expression of the benefits of the administration of the antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy and nursing, until weaning.
Many of those present participation in the discussion following the reports, which was centered on the best method of more extensive transmission of the results of DREAM throughout the interior of the national health system of Malawi.
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