December 19th, 2012

With the birth of a healthy grand daughter I reflect on the differences in the care provided to  mother and child.  In Canada, the health of the mother and child is monitored from the moment of conception and on through the first year.  In Africa, this is not so.  50% of children  born HIV positive will die before they are two years old.  In countries where an HIV positive mother receives anti-retroviral drugs to prevent vertical transmission, babies may be born healthy but without continued medications for the mother, she will die leaving an orphan child behind.  I believe every child deserves the best opportunities in life and this inequity breaks my heart and motivates me in our work to make a difference.

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