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M2M in cycle to zero challenge from Sunday to Wednesday

Mothers2mothers (m2m), an African-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in the area of paediatric HIV and Aids, has organised a cycle to zero challenge event to raise awareness on elimination of
mother to child transmission of HIV.

Apart from raising awareness, the cycle to zero challenge, being done a year after m2m 15th anniversary, will also involve visiting m2m’s work and getting to know the players working each day to make the zero
transmission a reality.

BIKE

M2m, in a statement made available to The Nation, said the cycle, to take place in four days starting from Sunday, May 29 2016 to Wednesday, June 1 2016, will take place in Blantyre, Luchenza in Thyolo, Zomba and Cape Maclear in Mangochi.

“On May 29, Bvumbwe to Luchenza; on May 30, Limbe to Zomba; on May 31, Zomba to Nkopola; and lastly, on June 1, Nkopola to Cape Maclear. In each location the cyclists will visit Ministry of Health and m2m
workers to learn more of the challenges in Malawi and the successes we have made together on HIV and RMNCH (reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health),” reads the statement in part.

According to the statement, 40 supporters of m2m from all over the world will join the rally team of cyclists who will be supported by m2m UK office, African Bikers and the Responsible Safari Company and
Ulendo Travel.

Founded in Cape Town, South Africa in 2001, m2m’s programme in Malawi was established in 2008 and now works in partnership with MoH across 94 facilities to end transmission of HIV and support the care and
treatment of families affected by the virus.

According to UNAids HIV and Aids estimates made in 2014, an estimated 1.1 millions Malawians are living with HIV, 130 000 of these are children aged 0-14.
In addition, 10 percent of the population between the ages of 15 and 49 are living with HIV, the majority being women. Malawi was specially chosen in 2011 as the country that launched Option B+, a bold strategy which put all HIV positive pregnant women on treatment, reducing paediatric HIV.

Since Malawi introduced Option B+ in 2011, the benefits of early initiation of ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy) have become better understood and the World Health Organization (WHO) now recommends that
all people living with HIV are offered ART, regardless of CD4 cell count.

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