This is a photo of a little Ambari. I met her today at the end of rounds. She was waiting to see Dr. Renee Valach, the internal medicine/pediatrics doc.
Renee told me her story when I asked for her photo. She is 14 months, born cachectic to two parents with HIV.
Generally you can’t test an individual for HIV until they are at least one year old. With a high index of suspicion due to poor health in the first couple months of life, Renee started her empirically on an antiretroviral drug regimen for AIDS.
Today she was waiting to see “Dr. Renee” for her one year check up.
Later in the afternoon Renee caught me and told me the great news. She tested the girl for HIV today for the first time. She repeated the test just to be sure. NEGATIVE! A life was spared.
Dr. William (Bill) Wilson
