LACK of male involvement and support in the prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission of HIV programmes is hampering Government efforts to reduce child maternal mortality.According to the Health and Child Welfare ministry's 2011 HIV estimates, 1,2 million people are living with HIV in Zimbabwe, 200 000 of them are children under the age of 15 while 14 000 children were newly infected with HIV in the same year -- 90 per cent of these through mother to child transmission.
Speaking at a two-day media training workshop aimed at sensitising journalists on the elimination of paediatric HIV through community engagement in Masvingo last week, Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric Aids Foundation's programmes implementation lead Dr Tichaona Nyamundaya called on men to accompany their partners for ante-natal visits.
"We are living in a society that thinks of adults and not children, hence their (children's) health issues become neglected.
"If couples visit health institutions together, they would have the opportunity to receive counselling and be able to take decisions that help children's survival.
"This will lessen disclosure barriers in communities," he said.
The national PMTCT and HIV Care and Treatment Co-ordinator in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare Dr Angela Mushavi said it was the duty of couples to plan a pregnancy to avoid transmitting HIV to the unborn child.
"By planning a pregnancy, one would not risk having an HIV-positive baby and we are glad that there are several interventions that prevent parent-to-child-transmission of HIV.
"It is sad that many children are getting infected due to negligence and some socio-cultural and religious beliefs that make some parents to shun health institutions," she said.
