More Expectant Mothers Have HIV

An increased trend of expectant mothers testing positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and drugs are presenting themselves at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) maternity ward.

CWMH nurse unit manager Maternity Ward Salote Tukana told this masthead yesterday that her team has also seen an increase in mothers coming through their ward with Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

NCDs include: diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

Statistics

The latest statistic released by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services last August indicated that there have been 552 newly diagnosed cases of HIV from January to June 2024.

In 2023, Fiji reported 415 newly diagnosed cases compared to 245 in 2022.

“NCDs are on the rise, if pregnancy is coupled with NCDs that’s worrying because if we have six deliveries and the six mothers come with NCDs that’s an added responsibility,” Ms Tukana said.

“When mothers are low risk, they don’t have NCDs that’s okay, they spent 2-23 days and then go back.

Added responsibility

“In contrast mothers who come here with NCDs and have developed complications – that’s an added responsibility for us to look after.

“Now, NCDs are on the rise and it has become one of the major types of illness the Ministry of Health is trying to tackle.”

The health ministry diagnosed 50 new p ersons living with HIV between the ages of 15 to 19 years (9 per cent); in 20-24 years, 137 new persons living with HIV (24.8 per cent) and in 25-29 years, 128 new persons living with HIV, at 23 per cent.

The latest HIV cases are predominantly seen in individuals less than 39 years of age (73 per cent), though it does not exempt individuals greater than 40 years of age.

Ms Tukana said that based on these statistics, it goes unnoticed that maternity wards across the country are fighting a surge in expectant mothers with HIV – related to drugs.

“One case we have also started to notice as frequent is the drug-related cases associated with HIV,” she said.

“We feel sad all the time when mothers come in with such diagnoses, we feel for them because most of them are iTaukei.

“I know it affects everyone but the sad thing is, many of our young people, particularly the iTaukei present themselves with this sickness.

“I plead with all the youths there, as we head to 2025 – please stay away from drugs because once you start engaging in drugs, you fight a different battle.”

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