The Gauteng Health MEC, Hope Papo congratulates the CEO of Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Professor Glenda Gray based at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital on receiving Order of Mapungubwe: Silver from President Jacob Zuma on Freedom Day.
The honour was for her excellent life-saving research in mother to child transmission of HIV that has changed the lives of people for the better in South Africa.
“This honour received by dedicated and hard working Professor Gray is proof yet again of the calibre of health professionals and the high level of expertise that we have in the public health sector in Gauteng. As the province, we are very proud and will continue supporting such pioneering work towards improving the lives of the people,” says MEC.
MEC Papo added that her knowledge, skills and years of experience have indeed contributed to making Gauteng’s public hospitals centres of excellence.
Through the initiatives of Prof Gray as well as other health workers in the province, between April 2011 and March 2012, the department has improved services for mothers and children. These included the opening of an additional Kangaroo Mother Care Unit at Tshwane District Hospital and ensuring that three out of every four new mothers were visited at home within six days of delivery.
Also during that period, approximately eight out of 10 pregnant women (80.5%) who were HIV-positive were placed on long-term Anti- Retroviral Therapy as they were severely immuno-compromised. Although this is primarily intended to treat the mother, it also effectively prevents transmission of HIV to the baby. HIV-positive women who do not require long-term Anti-Retroviral Therapy during pregnancy receive a shorter course of ARVs.
In Gauteng we achieved 99% coverage of babies who are born of HIV positive mothers. Only 3.6% of babies born to HIV-positive mothers proved to be HIV infected when tested at the age of six weeks, a rate which is below the national target of 5%.
The department’s exclusive breastfeeding campaign is also assisting in increasing the number of healthy babies.
Immunisation is another critical intervention aimed at increasing child survival by eliminating deaths from preventable causes.
Immunisation services are provided daily by all clinics and some hospitals in Gauteng. Coverage of children under five years has consistently been above the national target of 90% of all children in the age group.
To arrange interviews or any other requests, call:
Nkosiyethu Mazibuko
Cell: 072 785 4813
