DUO HIV/SYLPHILIS RAPID TEST KIT LAUNCHING          DATE: 24TH NOVEMBER 2015 VENUE:     DWORZARK FARM COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.

In an effort to intensify and increase awareness of HIV among women, adolescent girlsand children, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone; Madam Sia Nyama Koroma together with the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat, National HIV and AIDS control programme, UNAIDS, WHO and UNFPA on Tuesday 24^th November launched a Duo HIV/Syphilis Rapid Test Kit at the Dworzark Farm Community Health Centre in Freetown. This SD Bioline HIV/Syphilis Duo rapid test kit is an efficient and economical diagnostic tool that allows HIV pregnant women to be screened for both HIV and syphilis concurrently and delivers actionable results to clinicians at the point-of-care—enabling them to treat patients promptly on a case by case basis.

In his opening statement, the Director General of The National AIDS Secretariat Alhaji Dr. Momodu Sesay lauded the effort of Her Excellency in her quest and exemplary work in the areas of HIV and AIDS, maternal and child health and empowering women and children in Sierra Leone. He said, before testing had only been done for HIV but as of now, testing can be done for both HIV and Syphilis simultaneously. He stressed the need for early diagnosis in pregnant women which reduced the risk of passing the HIV infection to the unborn child. He encouraged pregnant women to access antenatal clinic and be tested to know their status. He allayed the fears of pregnant women that testing  confidential without disclosure and discrimination.

The Country Representative of WHO Dr. Anders Nordstrom praised the effort of the government of Sierra Leone in ending the EBOLA outbreak. He said that he was delighted that ending EBOLA did not stop the much more needed work on health, because much more work had to be done. He stressed Her Excellency’s extreme commitment on women and children and re-echoed the need to access testing and treatment services.

In his statement, The Country Coordinator of UNAIDS Dr. Michael Gboun extended greetings to the people of Dworzark and beyond, as he put it “today is an important day for all of us in Sierra Leone in ending the EBOLA pandemic” He expressed hope that the time had come for a woman that is pregnant to deliver safely with no recorded death, but this however placed the onus of every pregnant woman to access antenatal care or service where they can be tested for for HIV and Syphilis. He eluded the President call to encourage everyone to be tested for HIV. He appealed to stakeholders in the fight against HIV/AIDS to convey a message to every pregnant woman accessing antenatal care to be tested for HIV.

In her statement to climax the event, The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone Madam Sia Nyama Koroma reaffirmed OAFLA’s commitment in ending the AID epidemic by 2030, eliminate mother-to-child of HIV/AIDS and increase access to HIV testing, care and treatment for children and adolescents. She however underscored that such achievement could only be attained through accessing testing and treatment services. She encouraged her women folk to be ambassadors in engaging women in their different communities to be mindful of the earlier signs and symptoms of syphilis/ HIV and urged them to take the necessary precaution. She thanked Alere foundation; for assisting Sierra Leone with 4,000 test kit. She made a special plea to the public private partnership to mobilize resources for the sustenance of these Duo test kit.

In their renewed effort to reduce maternal and child mortality, end mother-to-child HIV infections, and work towards the elimination of congenital syphilis

ALERE representative Mr. Johnson said that “part of their commitment is to help people know their status and linking infected individuals to life saving anti-retroviral therapy.”

Globally, 1.4 million pregnant women have active syphilis and almost 1.5 million pregnant women are HIV infected. Both HIV and Syphilis can be transmitted during pregnancy to the fetus. Additionally, Syphilis infection during pregnancy increase the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission by 180% and that in Sub Sahara Africa, 260,000 African Children is infected with HIV each year. Mother-to-child transmission occurs through pregnancy, labor; delivery and breastfeeding, in fact, breastfeeding alone increase the risk of MTCT by 12% - 43%. Maternal Syphilis infection can cause stillbirth, neonatal death, prematurity, low birth weight or congenital syphilis..

Statements were made by the Member of Parliament representing the constituency Honourable Fofanah and the .The distribution of mother - baby packs to pregnant women climaxed the ceremony. The vote of thanks was given by a pregnant woman.

By courtesy of:

Rahim Ibrahim Kamara.

ICT Manager