Cambodia: Children from MAGNA HIV/AIDS program become parents. They have healthy children.

“This is my healthy son. He does not have to take HIV treatment anymore!” In MAGNA hospital Chea Chumneas in Cambodia 19 year old Thoeun proudly shows his sleeping baby to pediatrician. Since his childhood he has been in MAGNA HIV/AIDS program. “We all remember Thoeun as he was brought to our clinic by his grandfather thinking he would never see him again. He was nine, in severe state and the HIV/AIDS disease in serious decay refusing any nourishment. Basically he was dying.” Remembers Denisa Augustínová, coordinator of HIV/AIDS projects in Cambodia. Today Thoeun is fully-grown man. Thanks to responsible treatment and support he leads regular life. Now he knows, that as a HIV positive man he does not have to infect a woman. When adhering to antiretroviral therapy (HIV/AIDS treatment), principles of safe sex, birth delivery under medical supervision, prophylactic treatment for newborn and adequate nutrition, in MAGNA program HIV positive parents have a healthy baby with 99% achievement. Little son of Thoeun is the proof of it.   

In Cambodia, MAGNA treats HIV/AIDS children since 2002 and since 2006 MAGNA dedicates to suspension of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Risk of infection is highest throughout the prenatal growth via placenta, contact with blood during childbirth and through breast milk. Before and after childbirth mother needs to take antiretrovirotics and to be under continuous medical surveillance. Baby must be delivered at medical institution and newborn needs to be set to preventive antiretroviral prophylactic treatment right after accouchement. Consequently MAGNA medical staff persistently monitor and test the baby up to its one year.

In recent 10 years MAGNA in Cambodia implemented program to put a stop to mother-to-child transmission of HIV in biggest maternity hospital NMCHC in Cambodia, hospital Chey Chumneas in Takhmau and four other hospitals in Phnom Penh. MAGNA spread the program gradually to Vietnam, Kenya, Nicaragua and Democratic republic in Congo. MAGNA medical staff in this period accomplished more than three hundred thousand prenatal examinations, hundred thousand pregnant women were tested for HIV virus, assisted at eighty thousand childbirths. More than 1300 mothers and newborns in Cambodia had ensured treatment and complex care for HIV transmission minimization. 99% of them may live healthy complete life without HIV virus.