Snatched from the jaws of death; A testimony of IRCU’s intervention.

Ssali Joseph before treatment at Mengo hospital.

Ssali Joseph (not real names) is a 2 year old boy from Kabowa parish in Rubaga Division. In 2008 Ssali’s mother had a still birth likely to have been caused by malaria. During that pregnancy, both parents had undergone HIV/AIDS Counseling and Testing (HCT) and were both HIV negative.

When Ssali’s mother conceived again in 2009, she declined to repeat the HIV test and neither did she attend Antenatal Care or Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services. SJ was born normally in a private clinic, but at the age of 5 months, his mother was hospitalized at Mengo Hospital. She was diagnosed with an AIDS defining Illness and unfortunately died. However the father tested HIV negative. After his wife’s death,Ssali’s father was requested to bring him for an HIV test.

Ssali was found HIV positive. He presented with a history of unexplained persistent fever for more than one month, a poor appetite and delayed milestones. On examination, Ssali looked very sad and was also not active. He weighed 7kgs instead of 12 Kgs expected for his age and had a height of 71 cm.  He was diagnosed with moderate malnutrition and Tuberculosis.