A “small” addtion to HEAL – A little bit can go along way.

S- (name withheld for privacy), a young woman in her mid-20s, is married with one child and now expecting her second. S-’s husband is a self-employed man doing largely unskilled work when and where he can find it. 

S- and her family live on about 2 U.S. dollars a day in one of the large unofficial residential areas of Kisumu, Kenya.   The house has no running water and no electricity, S- will be giving birth within the week,  and she has just been given a positive HIV result… 

S- underwent an HIV test before the birth of her first child, at that time she was negative. 

“Must have found the virus between then and now”, she says. 

When pressed, she actually did had a previous reactive HIV test – at her single prenatal visit, but did not really believe the result and lost the card that would communicate the finding at delivery. 

“I will not be delivering in the hospital – anyhow”, she explains  - “To travel and deliver in the hospital is just too expensive”. 

S- , and the majority of Kenyan women in similar economic position, plans to use a nyamrerwa or traditional birth attendants.  At a cost of 500 Kenyan Shilling (6.50 USD) it is affordable and, as most nyamrerwa lack modern medical training, HIV/AIDS is not generally a topic of discussion or concern.  Stigma may be reduced but neither S- nor her infant will get the medication and care that can help prevent HIV transmission to the infant and begin S- in a system of treatment that can ultimately keep both children from becoming orphans. 

HEAL became involved with S- when, in the counseling following her HIV result, she expressed understanding for the need of a medical/clinical birthing experience and the willingness to do this if the economic and logistic issues could be arranged.  HEAL’s Kenya based  representative was contacted and when S- went in to labor 48 hours later – arrangements were made to provide transport to and from the hospital, meet the medical costs, purchase medications, and arrange for some follow-up referral to help ensure that S- and her new baby get the care they need.

There are times when the smallest bit of effort can indeed go a very long way.  Thanks to all for their donations – Keep them comming!