A Tale of Two Babies

We hosted the EGPAF (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation) team for a 24 hour Bundibugyo tour: a distinguished emeritus Duke Pediatrician, a sharp young Ugandan doctor whose practical compassion always refreshes me, a former Ministry of Health doctor who actually understands the protocols and systems and can relate to our staff, and a woman who, as Scott says, is "in charge of Africa" (not an enviable task) meaning she runs the prevention of mother-to-child transmission programs for the foundation. Plus two amiable drivers. All enjoyed pizza courtesy of our team last night, and then spent today touring our programs. Interestingly there were two approximately 1-year-olds admitted to teh Paeds ward who exactly illustrate the spectrum of the problem.

First, Mbabazi Christine, who will turn one later this month, and barely clocks ten pounds, febrile, fussy, wide-eyed. Her mother is a soft-spoken second of three wives, and has already watched her first child die. When she went for antenatal care this time she claims she tested negative for AIDS, but lost her records. She probably feared the stigma, and chose to hide from care. She did not take the medicine which can reduce the risk of transmission. She did not get treatment for Christine, either, until her condition became severe. Now we have been trying to rescue her for a month with UNICEF milk, and two weeks with anti-TB therapy, but we have yet to see improvement. These doctors confirmed our suspicion that she will not respond nutritionally or respiratory-wise until we begin to treat the HIV virus. Very complicated given our limited resources.

Contrast this story with Baby Scott. Yes, remember the first baby to be born in the new Maternity Ward? His mother is a large and pleasant woman, unafraid of her identity. She accepted her results, took her Nevirapine pill, and made sure her baby got his treatment. She comes to clinic. She practiced exclusive breast feeding up to six months of age, then weaned with the help of a dairy goat provided by the Matiti Project (which she also named Scott!!). Baby Scott's viral tests have been negative twice. He has escaped infection, and though he was admitted now with a little diarrhea and goopy nose (like most of Nyahuka these days) he should be fine.

This is what Kwejuna Project is all about, to give mothers the hope and the means to protect their babies from the virus that has devastatingly entered their own lives. It does not always work . . . but we are grateful for the opportunity to channel the resources of this large American charity, of our many supporters, to help real women and real babies survive.