“The treatment literacy guide on PMTCT is one of its kind in Zambia. NZP+ and other community groups have been waiting for such a tool to guide us in our efforts to support women living with HIV to make informed decisions about their lives, free of stigma. The design and format would work very well in our country. NZP+ has community and health facility based supporters who conduct weekly/ monthly support sessions with women living with HIV on various health issues including family planning and PMTCT and we look forward to using the guide during these sessions.”
Eunice Sinyemu, Executive Director, NZP+, Zambia
About the Guides
To mark the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, GNP+, ICW and the IATT are launching “Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention for Women and their Babies: A treatment literacy guide for pregnant women and mothers living with HIV”.
In line with the Day of Action’s call for a holistic inclusive and human rights-based approach to women and girls’ health, this new treatment literacy guide is a practical informative tool that reflects the latest WHO guidelines.
Available in both English and French, the guide is designed to offer a complete package of guidance for women living with HIV who are pregnant or considering having a child.
Women living with HIV from eight countries have shared their expertise to shape the content and design of the guide and it was formulated in direct response to a call from communities for up to date, evidence-based resources.
Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention for Women and their Babies: A treatment literacy guide for pregnant women and mothers living with HIV is intended for use by networks of women living with HIV, women’s groups, peer educators and others wishing to provide information and guidance to support women living with HIV through the decisions they will need to take before, during and after their pregnancy.
How to Use the Guides
The guide has 12 modules covering issues ranging from human rights to treatment adherence and nutrition. It is made up of three separate tools:
The facilitator’s manual and flipchart are intended to be used together by leaders of support groups, peer educators or lay counselors to facilitate small groups or community sessions with women living with HIV. The poster can be displayed anywhere where it will be seen by women living with HIV and their families, such as: clinic rooms, church halls, waiting rooms and community education spaces.
This guide was developed by members of the Community Engagement Working Group (CEWG) of the Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) for Prevention and Treatment of HIV Infection in Pregnant Women, Mother and Children, a group committed to strengthening global, regional and national partnerships and programs that address the survival of pregnant women, mothers and children living with HIV.
Download the English Version PDFs
Download the French Version PDFs
When we piloted the materials, for the PMTCT guide the flipchart captured the women’s attention, ensuring a highly interactive discussion in which everyone participated. Women in our support groups have shared that they get a lot of mixed messages and poor information, and they hope this PMTCT guide will open a dialogue on how best to ensure that women living with HIV have correct information and practical support for their pregnancy and experiences of motherhood.”
Janet Bhila, ICW Zimbabwe