Olympics Pedigree Babies Thrive as HIV+ Mothers in Africa Breastfeed Despite Infection Risks
It is Olympics season and every video house in this farming town is full with home fans following the athletics races in Beijing that their local heroes are featuring.
Eldoret is the bread basket of Kenya’s athletics elite and famous runners, including Kipchoge Keino who made history by winning the east African country’s first gold medal in the 1500 meters run at the Mexico City Games.
But the town is also home to Hanna Jeruto, a 24 year old HIV+ mother who exclusively breastfeeds her 4 month old son, Kipruto. Kipruto, however, is HIV negative and when she was delivering at the provincial hospital doctors had advised her not to breastfeed him.
