Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
Community health workers are trained to explain to pregnant women with HIV the importance of HIV testing, and prenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care at the health center. They learn to support women in receiving this care. Community health workers also learn to support women in adhering to ARV treatment starting as soon as possible during pregnancy (regardless of CD4 count) and continuing for life, giving their newborn babies nevirapine, and taking their babies to the health center regularly for vaccinations and check ups.
For women with HIV who have taken 3 ARVs faithfully every day for at least 3 months before birth (continuing for life), community health workers learn to teach women that it is safe for them to breastfeed their babies exclusively. For women with HIV who have not taken ARVs for at least 3 months before giving birth, community health workers learn to support women in feeding their babies infant formula exclusively.
The training is designed for one day.