Mentor Mothers: Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Jinja
2015
This case study examines the efforts of health officials in the Jinja district of Uganda to reduce and ultimately eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS. The district has implemented the World Health Organization’s four-prong approach to preventing the spread of HIV from mother to child, but has encountered numerous challenges in substantially lowering transmission; many HIV-positive mothers refuse specialized prenatal treatment and children born to HIV-positive mothers often miss follow-up tests in order to ensure that they are HIV free. Officials in Jinja considered introducing a “mentor mothers” program, based on the model of the Mothers 2 Mothers (m2m) organization which trains and employs local HIV-positive mothers to work at health centers and provide health education, follow up with patients who have missed appointments, and offer group and individual psycho-social support.
This case includes guidance for instructors, including learning objectives and discussion questions. This case is part of a 13-case collection written by students in the inaugural MPH class of the Schulich Interfaculty Program in Public Health at Western University, Canada. The cases may be copied and used free of charge without permission for any educational uses by an accredited educational institution.
Mentor Mothers: Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Jinja
Source:
Nazarali S, Buregyeya E, Nantamu D, Thind A. Mentor Mothers: Preventing Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS in Jinja. Western Public Health Casebook. Public Health Casebook Publishing 2015. https://www.schulich.uwo.ca/publichealth/cases/Casebook2015.html.