The HIV Free North West/South West project of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Board has been sensitising the populations of Wum and Benakuma in Menchum division, on the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS.
The recent sensitization campaign reached several local communities, schools, markets, motor parks and churches and yielded fruits, given that these are places where people are highly concentrated and readily receive health information.
In prelude to world AIDS day every year, the different visits enable the education and sensitization teams from the HIV Free North West/South West project to spread the messages of early Antenatal care, male partner involvement and general health talks on healthy lifestyles.
During the sensitization campaigns, it was realized that the people in Wum are increasingly becoming aware of the importance to know their HIV status. This is because of the continual increase in the number of people who turn out for voluntary counseling and testing during such organized HIV screenings.
During the 2014 World AIDS Day, a total of 325 people were tested for HIV by the PMTCT team. Of the total number, 190 were women and 125 men, with 15 positive cases.
These results are independent of those from the Wum district hospital which screened 167 people. Amongst this number were 7 positive cases including one pregnant woman.
All 22 positive cases were referred to do CD4 count at the district hospital Wum. The pregnant woman was advised to start ANC.
