A graduation with a difference

Jemimah NdebeleWindhoekA group of mothers in the Oshana Region are celebrating the graduation of their children. But this is no conventional graduation, as the graduates are 18-month-old babies who have been declared HIV-free as result of their HIV-positive mothers’ antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy, birth and lactation.The graduation ceremony was organised by Development Aid from People to People (DAPP), a partner organisation funded by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) through the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Namibia (CDC).“Celebrating the fact that these children are HIV-free at 18 months is something very special. These ceremonies are powerful testimonials to the resiliency of these women and the support provided by the programme to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” CDC Namibia country director, Dr Brian Baker, said.Making sure that pregnant women are aware of their HIV status is a crucial first move toward the 18-month milestone.According to the health ministry, 99% of pregnant women in Namibia are aware of their HIV status thanks to assistance from the CDC and other partners.Frequent follow-upsDAPP’s prenatal care and support programme entails frequent follow-up visits by community healthcare workers. They search the neighbourhood for pregnant patients who miss clinic appointments in order to assist them to get back to treatment. According to DAPP, the results of this personalised healthcare support have proven to be life-changing.“I am happy because DAPP always reminds me of our appointment dates. Without them, I would not be up to date with my clinic follow-up dates because I sometimes have so much work to do, which can make me forget. The field officer visits my house to see how the baby is and they have discussions with me. I am happy for the information I get. It is helping me to keep my child free from the virus,” Konstasia Shigwedha, one of the mothers supported by the programme, said.According to Pepfar’s statistics, nine years ago, more than 13% of HIV-positive mothers in Namibia passed the virus to their children during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding. Today, this number is down to less than 5%.

A graduation with a difference

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-12

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A graduation with a difference

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Namibian Sun 2026-05-12

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