What If YouTest HIV Positive?-Learn From The Inspiring Story of HIV Positive Woman Who Gave Birth To 5 HIV Negative Children

Testing HIV positive is not a death sentence and many HIV positive persons are living normal lives.  HIV Counseling and Testing,(HTC) is a first step to achieving this.

What is HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT)? This is the service rendered to an individual in order for him/her to know his HIV status, which could be either positive or negative and is usually confidential.

HCT is done in three distinct components;

•  Pre- test counseling before the blood is taken and this is meant to prepare the individual for the test and assess the risk level to HIV virus the person possessed. Also, it helps one to anticipate the result, whether it turns out HIV positive or negative. 

• The second component is the taking of blood sample and test by using rapid test kits 

•  Lastly is disclosure of result, counseling and referrals, depending on the outcome of the result.

HCT is an integral part of HIV/AIDS. Without HCT, diagnosing HIV may not be possible except when an individual comes down seriously with some of the known symptoms of the disease. The National Agency for the Control of AIDS is using all strategy available to increase HCT uptake in the country. Provider Initiative HCT strategy is being introduced to most government funded hospitals to ensure that all patients that come in to health facility have access to HCT services at no cost. 

Help is available only if you make yourself available for testing. And when you test HIV positive, you know your status, and will be guided by healthcare professionals to live positively and take care of your life. 

Read this thrilling success story  of one woman who was determined to survive and live a normal life after she tested positive to HIV.

  How HIV Positive Stella Ibianujulu Ebelu Gave Birth To 5 HIV Negative Children

For many women with HIV, having a healthy, HIV-negative child is an achievable goal. With the right amount of knowledge and care, it’s possible for an HIV-positive woman to have a healthy baby.

 Stella Ibianujulu Ebelu, a 37-year-old HIV positive mother, knows this all to well. This is because, Stella is a proud mother of five healthy, HIV-free children – three boys and two girls.

Her Story

Stella and her family

"All my children were born naturally (through the birth canal) rather than the tradition Caesarean Section common with HIV positive women. I could have five HIV negative children because I know my HIV status and accessed treatment,” she affirmed to Good Health Weekly.

“In pregnancy, I was taking my drugs and kept to good diet and nutrition, my viral load really came down and I was able to deliver my children through the birth canal (normal delivery) not through Caesarean Section. I also breast fed each child exclusively for six months,” she noted

“HIV is not a deadly sickness.One must do the right things not to move to AIDS, just like managing High Blood Pressure from turning to stroke.”

She advises that the first thing every pregnant women “should not do is to go to traditional birth attendants who don’t even know their HIV status or how to go about treating and caring for pregnant women.

The second thing “is to accept the reality of your status and thirdly, follow it up with adequate treatment.”

Infection Through Blood Transfusion.

Stella was diagnosed in 1994 after being infected through blood transfusion.

“I had a growth on the back of my neck. I went to the hospital and after many tests and screenings I was told I needed to undergo surgery as well as blood for the surgical intervention.Then I was single. My brother volunteered to donate blood for me. The operation was done and I was discharged.”

But six months later Stella fell sick, developed herpes and returned to the hospital.

“I was screened for HIV and the result turned out positive. My world collapsed like a pack of cards. I didn’t know what to do or what to make of my life. As a single lady, many thoughts crossed my mind and I became worried about how to carry on with my life.

How She Met Her Husband

Stella relocated to Enugu with determination to survive.How to go about life not infecting others, as well as live without coming down with AIDS was uppermost on her mind. She says; sometime later, a trader from Kafanchan showed interest in me and said he wanted to marry me. Before we went too far, I told him about my HIV status. He doubted me and said it was a huge ploy to discourage him and that he would not give up on me because he genuinely loves me.”

“After the screening, the results indicated he is HIV negative while I am HIV positive. To my surprise, he insisted on going ahead with his plan to marry me. His reason was that I am truthful and that he loved me and could trust me with his life.

“He said if a woman could not hide such a secret from a man that is well-off, such woman shouldn’t be given up.”

“I was convinced and took him to my people who welcomed him and asked if he knew my status. He answered in the affirmative. That was how we commenced steps to marriage. My pastor put his feet down that the marriage wouldn’t hold in his church, so we settled for traditional wedding.”

Her Journey from Pregnancy to the Delivery of Her Five HIV Negative Children

 Afterwards we decided to settle in Abuja and I enrolled for antenatal care at Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja .At the hospital, Stella enrolled on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV PMTCT programme at the antenatal clinic and in 2002 had her first baby. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) is when an HIV-positive mother passes the virus to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding.

“I was resolute not to become a burden to my people, the nation or anybody. I took responsibility for my health by accessing the drugs and using them. I did not miss my antenatal clinic days. There were phases in the drug policy- from being expensive, to being subsidized and totally free.

Spousal Support

“I stopped breastfeeding my first baby at the sixth month. I was naturally afraid of what people would say and there were a few raised eyebrows. When we traveled to my husband’s place, his people were asking me why I stopped breastfeeding the child at six months. But my husband stood by me. He told them six month was enough to breast feed. I can say boldly that my husband is my backbone. He supports me. So with time people knew my pattern of breastfeeding for just six months. But all my five children, the eldest aged 14, last born 2, are HIV free.

“I have acquired experience and can share with others that being HIV positive is not the end of life. I now counsel women, especially pregnant women.I visit them at home, encourage them. It is a delight when you see a pregnant woman move from fear to fulfillment, in terms of taking her drugs, to save delivery and producing HIV negative babies.”

“Nigerians should update themselves. Men out there should emulate my husband. Support your wife, support your family. If he had chosen to throw me out, today I won’t be this happy and probably I wouldn’t be in position to save all these lives.”

cued from Mamalette.Com

LESSONS FROM STELLA'S STORY

You can agree that Stella's story is a model for both those living with HIV or persons yet to get screened.  HIV is not a death sentence.Her experience is an inspiration to everyone-that there is life after testing positive to HIV.A normal fruitful and productive family life, relationships,work,education is achievable only if you make the choice of getting screened for this deadly virus today.

 What then are the symptoms of having HIV and is there any need even to go for screening? Find out in the next article.

#nomoresittingonthefence

#takethetesttakecontrol