In 2009, 370 000 children became infected with human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) globally. Nearly all of those children acquired HIV through mother to child transmission and 90 percent of them live in sub – Saharan Africa.
After the introduction of the Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programs in Africa, male involvement has been low due to cultural beliefs, a move which has left women vulnerable with no support from their partners.
Studies have shown that male involvement in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services reduced the risks of vertical transmission (mother-to-child) and infant mortality by more than 40 percent.
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) has recognized male involvement as a priority area of intervention within the women- centered approach and evidence documenting the impact of men on the various components of prevention mother to child transmission (PMTCT) programmes.
“Since male partners influence women’s ability and willingness to adhere to product use there is need for cooperation and agreement to push for male involvement in these programmes,” observes EGPAF.
EGPAF Technical Advisor Dr Tichaona Nyamundaya said it is time to examine men’s engagement in PMTCT in order to realize the programme’s objectives.
Said Nyamundaya, “ Men play an important role in terms of women’s risk of acquiring HIV, prevention of HIV especially in terms of condom use in the couple’s relationships as well as utilization of services, including testing for HIV and obtaining the follow up results.
“We therefore need men’s engagement and support in all aspects of the PMTCT programmes to address HIV and gender related discrimination that impedes service access and uptake as well as mother baby pair retention in PMTCT.
“Men tend to lack information to make informed decisions about healthy behaviors and the roles they play in promoting overall family health, including accessing HIV – prevention, care and treatment services”, said Nyamundaya.
He added that to maximize the health outcomes of PMTCT for children, women and men must move beyond seeing men as simply- facilitating factors, to enable women to access health care services, but view them as essential parts of the reproductive health policy and practice.
He highlighted that men’s constructive involvement and support in the elimination of pediatric HIV and the promotion of women’s and family health would not only enable men and women to share responsibility for family health but would also accelerate national progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals which is key to national development.
The EGPAF advisor armor-plated that it makes sense to offer HIV prevention and care needs to the family unit as a whole.
EGPAF is supporting a programme on traditional leaders dubbed “Perekedza mimba yako” where male partners are encouraged to accompany their pregnant spouses to the clinics for HIV testing.
The director of African Fathers, an organization that deals with male involvement in HIV/AIDS programmes, Trevor Davies said men should be included in the PMTCT programmes as they are important stakeholders in reproductive issues.
“Studies demonstrate that if men are given the opportunity to participate in sexual and reproductive health interventions, they can be more involved in promoting the health of their families and communities”, Davies explained.
He said fathers control resources that can give women access to PMTCT yet the language used tend to ignore the power of fatherhood in the prevention of HIV.
Davies added that in Zimbabwe PMTCT focuses mainly on women, but now is the time to examine men’s engagement to help and reduce the incidence of infection among women and infants.”
“Fear of knowing one’s status, stigma and discrimination, pose barriers to men’s participation in sexual health programmes. Policy inadvertently contributes to men’s exclusion from PMTCT and other reproductive health services.
“Men tend to lack information to make informed decisions about healthy behaviors and the roles they might play in promoting family health, including accessing HIV prevention, care and treatment services,” said Davies.
HIV activist, Trymore Ndava, said to maximize the health outcomes of PMTCT, there is need to move beyond seeing men’s role as simply facilitating women’s access to healthcare services but viewing them as integral to the reproductive health policy and practice.
Ndava said men’s involvement in the elimination of pediatric HIV and promotion of family health would not only enable men and women to share responsibility but also accelerate national progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The Failure to target men in health programmes for women and children has weakened the impact of interventions since men can significantly influence their partner’s reproductive health resources”, Ndava said.
Statistics from Ministry of Health and Child Care, reveal that uptake of and adherence to the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) interventions are a challenge to most women if there is no male partner involvement.
Local organizations which include the National AIDS Council and the Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Project- University of Zimbabwe have been working towards mobilizing men for couple HIV testing and counseling (HTC) in antenatal care (ANC).
According to the ministry of Health, in 2013, Midlands province had 19 % males who were tested together with their partners, an increase by 9 % from 2011 statistics. However, this improvement was still far below the national target as societal norms still create barriers for health workers aiming to include more men in their programs.
