Positive News for Women to Confront the HIV/AIDs Problem in Malawi
On March 4 2012, Dr Carolyn Mwalwanda from Lilongwe in Malawi gave a speech to a group of FOCHTA supporters to mark International Women’s Day. Dr Mwalwanda is at present studying a Masters degree in Obstetrics at Sydney University sponsored by AusAID. She is at present taking a leave of absence from her work in one of the biggest referral hospitals in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi, in the Dept of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Dr Mwalwanda in her speech said that “Malawi is now working very hard to contain the spread of the virus to unborn babies. Every pregnant woman is tested for HIV. If found positive they are given ARV drugs during pregnancy. Newborns are given treatment after birth for a month and then are tested for the virus six month later. Most babies are free of the virus. Even though breast milk can transmit HIV, women are encouraged to breast feed for the first 4-6 months since breast milk is protective in nature to the baby against infections and a healthy baby is less likely to get HIV infection from breast milk. However if families can afford to buy formula milk they are allowed not to breast feed at all.”
Dr Mwalwanda is currently halfway through her two year course.