The Home of Mercy Infant Center:

I. Origin
      According to Department of Health statistics, in late March 2007, Taiwan had 13,581 HIV-infected patients, increasing a shocking 123% over the last two years.

The statistics also show that the top reason for the increase was the surge in drug-addicted HIV carriers (up 29.70%). Taiwan saw an increase of 446 carriers in 2004 and 3,017 carriers in 2005—a 6.7 increase over 2004. Due to the increase of HIV infections among drug users, prevention of AIDS has become a problem and a new challenge for Taiwan. The war against AIDS has entered a new level.

More and more intravenous drug addicts have become infected with HIV since year 2002 and intravenous drug abuse has become one of the major sources of HIV infection. While HIV is spread between drug users, it is also passed through sexual relations and women have become a group most likely to be infected.

An analysis carried out over several years of risk factors of women infected with HIV shows that 874 female drug users were infected with HIV by the end of 2005. Most (42% of the total) were 20-29 years old when they are at the peak of their reproductive age. This increase in HIV infections among women has not only impacted women, it has given rise to Infants with HIV/ AIDS, both of which are challenges for the international community!  

The Department of Health has been providing HIV screening for pregnant women since 2005. Among the 170,000 pregnant women, 21 HIV/AIDS infected mothers have been discovered. 19 of them (90%) chose to give birth, while the other two chose induced abortion. infants with HIV/AIDS have become an important issue in Taiwan.

Of grave concern is the fact that mothers with drug addictions do not receive preventative drug treatment, because of their addictions and during childbirth, they have no idea that they are infected. The possibility of passing on HIV/AIDS to their infants, therefore, is quite high.

Mothers infected with HIV/AIDS do not necessarily give birth to infants with HIV/AIDS, so a period of time is required to determine whether or not an infant is infected. However, whether or not preventive drug treatments on newborns are carried out for the first three months is a key to preventing HIV infection. It is critical, therefore, that preventive drug treatment for mothers and infants be given during the first three months of an infant’s life to lower death rates and rebuild the immune system.

UNAIDS statistics show that 2.5 million of the 200 million pregnant women each year are HIV carriers. 600,000 infants are estimated to be born with HIV/AIDS each year or 10% of all new carriers each year. Approximately 500,000 children die from HIV. Children carriers of HIV reflect the fact that 90% of children infected with HIV are a result of vertical transmission from mother to child. Vertical transmission is, indeed, the main source of infection.

The number of heterosexual HIV carriers has increased in Taiwan over the years, illustrating the importance of preventing HIV infection among women and children in the 21st century.

II. Mission
     Established in March 2001, the Garden of Mercy Foundation’s Home of Mercy has already provided service to over a hundred patients, allowing them access to suitable medical treatment and care, thereby allowing family members the opportunity to take a break. We also assist patients and their families with temporary residential arrangements and in resolving problems related to financial problems and medical access.

     We are willing to work harder. In addition to our original services at the Home of Mercy, we proposed the Infants with HIV/AIDS Project to be established at a different location. It provides services to infants between three to six months of age, through daily care and preventative drug treatment in order to lower death rates among infants with HIV/AIDS and improve their health.

III. Purpose

     Mothers infected with HIV/AIDS do not necessarily give birth to infants with HIV/AIDS, but preventive drug treatment given during the month before the baby is born is crucial for lowering the possibility of HIV infection. It is critical, therefore, to assist them with treatment to lower the rate of infection (It could be lowered to 1% or less.)

      In the past, many mothers with HIV/AIDS abandoned their babies after birth. As a result, many infants didn’t receive drug treatment or received it late which affected the effectiveness of the prevention drugs. We provide these children with temporary accommodation and care from specialized nurses. Newborns carry their mother’s antibodies and it takes at least three months before it can be determined whether they are HIV infected or not. Three months after infants are born, about 99% are confirmed uninfected and can be taken home.

We would like to provide hope-filled and appropriate care that is nonjudgmental and respectful of privacy. Consequently, it would not be passive care, but enthusiastic prevention aimed at rescuing the next generation.

IV. Case Sources

1. Hospital and organization referrals.

2. Patient or family applications.

V.  Service Designed for

     Newborn to six-month-old suspected of being infected with HIV. We provide six beds for professional care and HIV prevention drug treatment to lower death rates among infants with HIV and enhance their quality of life.

VI. Service Facilities

1. Six beds for specialized care.：Four beds for 24 hour care and specialized nursing.
 Two beds for respite care.

2. Services for case study consultation and pastoral care.

3. Respite care for the principal guardians of babies.

VII. Services
1. Daily Care: Professional care provided on a daily basis.
2. Nursing: Prevention drug treatment and evaluation by nurses.
3. Social workers perform careful evaluations of the various needs of patients at different stages to facilitate bringing together resources to meet needs at each stage.
4. Family Visits: Depending on the situation of individual cases, patients are allowed to visit their families.
5. Respite Care: Temporary hospitalizing for mothers with HIV/AIDS.

VIII. Expectations
1. Provide infants with HIV/AIDS professional, quality, and dignified care.

2. Provide health education, consultation, and care to the biological families of the infants to educate them so as to ensure the quality of care infants receive when they return home.

3. Lower the death rate among Infants with AIDS.
4. Accumulate experience in taking care of infants with HIV/AIDS and alleviate bias towards families which have members stricken with HIV/AIDS through education.

5. Reduce medical and social costs.