National Public Radio Hears the Stories of Mothers and Children and HIV in Mozambique

Posted by Denise Alves
Maputo, Mozambique
July 8, 2011

Malita Manuel Timane is one of many
mothers in Macia district that has given
birth to an HIV-free child because of
antiretroviral drugs she received during
pregnancy. (Photo: Denise Alves/EGPAF)

Earlier this week, the stories of mothers and children and HIV in Mozambique were told on National Public Radio's All Things Considered radio program. A couple of months ago, Foundation Communications and Advocacy officer for Mozambique Denise Alves had the opportunity to hear those stories in person when she accompanied NPR reporters Melissa Block and Andrea Hsu to a health center in the town of Macia, located in the southeastern corner of Mozambique.

The reporters were in Mozambique for a new series about women and childbirth. Their main objective in visiting Gaza province – an area with extremely high HIV rates – was to learn about the Foundation's successes in helping HIV-positive mothers give birth to HIV-negative babies.

Click past the jump to read Denise's first-person account of the trip to Macia.

The Foundation's Work in Mozambique Highlighted on NPR

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
July 7, 2011

Lucrecia Silva and her daughter, Helena,
are both HIV-positive.
(Photo: Andrea Hsu/NPR)

Yesterday NPR’s program All Things Considered aired its third installment from Mozambique on maternal and child health – this time focusing on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Host Melissa Block reported from a health clinic supported by the Foundation in the southern town of Macia. HIV rates are high in the surrounding province of Gaza. It’s estimated that about thirty percent of women there are HIV-positive.

Melissa spoke to Foundation Country Director Dr. Nancy Fitch about our efforts to reach all pregnant women who are living with HIV – both to improve their own health and to protect their babies from getting the virus.

Click past the jump for more about the story and links to the NPR story.

What We're Reading: NPR Reports on Maternal and Child Health in Mozambique

Posted by Robert Yule
Washington, D.C.
July 1, 2011

This week, we’ve actually been doing more listening than reading – to NPR’s new global series on pregnancy and childbirth, called “Beginnings.”

NPR’s All Things Considered has been reporting from Mozambique on issues affecting maternal and child health. As part of the series, host Melissa Block visited a Foundation-supported clinic in the town of Macia in southern Mozambique, to learn about preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Click past the jump to listen to and read the segments, and to learn about next week’s piece highlighting the Foundation’s work.

New Book Chronicles Hopes, Struggles, and Insights of HIV-Positive Children in Mozambique

Posted by Denise Alves and Sushant Mukherjee
Maputo, Mozambique
July 1, 2011

A child's drawing of a health center
appears in the book. (Photo: EGPAF)

“Talking about AIDS makes me remember my parents’ death…I want to have two children – a girl and a boy – so that I can give them my mom’s and dad’s names.”

This is just one of many powerful testimonials from children living with HIV featured in a remarkable new book, “I Want to Be Somebody.” The book was produced by a collaboration between the Foundation and famous Mozambican novelist Paulina Chiziane. She traveled throughout the country with Foundation staff to interview children about the hardships of their early years, and their hopes for the future.

Click past the jump to read more.

Bringing Global Child Health Issues to Capitol Hill

Posted by Katie Lapides
Washington, D.C.
June 23, 2011

Foundation Vice President RJ Simonds
speaks during the Congressional Global
Health Caucus briefing on global health
and children. (Photo: EGPAF/Bob Yule)

Last week, the Foundation brought the issue of pediatric AIDS to Capitol Hill as part of a Congressional Global Health Caucus briefing on global health and children.

The Foundation joined World Vision, Save the Children, and CARE USA in a packed room to discuss child-focused global health programs. Congressional staffers from more than 25 offices learned about childhood diseases and health issues, and numerous success stories of U.S.-funded programs to keep children alive and healthy.

Click past the jump for a recap from the briefing by Foundation Public Policy Officer Katie Lapides.

What We're Reading: Calling All Partners to Eliminate Pediatric AIDS

Posted by Jen Pollakusky
Washington, D.C.
June 21, 2011

UNAIDS global action plan to eliminate
new HIV infection in infants.
(Photo: UNAIDS)

On the heels of the 30th anniversary of the first AIDS diagnosis, we’ve been reading about a new international call to eliminate HIV in one entire segment of the population: infants and young children.

A United Nations High-Level Meeting on AIDS produced a new global action plan to end all new HIV infections in infants by 2015. A number of Congressional champions issued statements addressing the importance of U.S. leadership in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and Voice of America and The New York Times reported on both 30 years in the fight against AIDS and the new global plan. A busy week ended as the Foundation highlighted U.S. leadership on the issue with an ad in both Roll Call and Congressional Quarterly.

Click past the jump to read a more in-depth analysis of the week's events and coverage from Senior Public Policy and Advocacy Officer for Africa at the Foundation, Jen Pollakusky.