UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS

February 1 2008

HIV Positive Pregnant Woman Flees Wrath of Husband

UNICEF is a pioneer in Swaziland’s Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV work (PMTCT). A 2007 annual review of the program shows positive trends for key indicators such as the growing number of pregnant women getting tested for HIV and the growing proportion of HIV positive women receiving treatment. However, more work is required to involve men in HIV prevention. Communication for social and behavioral change to reduce stigma and discrimination targeting young people and men, especially is required. 

30-year-old Nomzamo was a pregnant woman living in Mahlangatsha in Swaziland's  Manzini region. Last fall, she came for antenatal care and took an HIV test. She tested positive. When she went home and shared the results with her husband, Silwane Fakudze, he did not take it kindly. He screamed at her, asking her where she obtained permission to test in the first place and where she got infected. He threatened to kill her if she did not move out of their home immediately. Fearing for her life, Nomzamo fled to her parental home where she was supported by her mother. There, she received counseling from the nearby clinic and continued to visit the clinic for antenatal checkups.
 
When I visited the clinic in Mahlangatsha town months ago, one of the nurses told me the story of Nomzamo and how she was forced to flee her matrimonial home. With the help of a new program that is targeting men with HIV messages called "Sidla Inhloko" loosely translated as "Eating a Cow's Head", we were able to organize a community mobilization initiative for PMTCT that targets especially men to get tested for HIV and support their pregnant wives before and after delivery. This program uses dialogue to reach men even in the most remote rural areas. To draw their attention, it uses the eating of a cow's head, a local delicacy for men, as a hook. Silwane Fakudze went and mingled with other men who had gone through the same PMTCT process with their wives. They encouraged each other to get tested and Silwane was among the men who voluntarily took an HIV test however the nurse did not share the results with me.
 
When I went back to Mahlangatsha two weeks later, I received the encouraging news that Silwane went to apologize to his wife, they reconciled and he pledged to support her.  I am happy about the ending of this story but then again I am sad to note that there is still a high number of Swazi men who are against getting tested for HIV. Some even prevent their wives from knowing their HIV status. They, too, need to be reached through more community mobilization initiatives and other mediums - especially the radio, which is widely listened to in Swaziland.

UNICEF continues to give support in the areas of technical assistance, training, social mobilization and the supply of equipment and commodities. In 2007, UNICEF supported 22 doctors from private clinics across the country with training, equipment and supplies and they are now providing PMTCT services. But we face many challenges, like the lack of infrastructure as people travel many kilometers to get to the nearest clinic. With more resources, more mobile clinics could reach even the most remote places and hence more people could conveniently access services.