AIDS Control Society Fights Parent-To-Child Transmission

The Andhra Pradesh State AIDS Control Society on Friday launched new drug regimen for the prevention of the parent-to-child transmission of HIV.

Speaking at Ravindra Bharathi, Department of AIDS Control Director General Sayan Chatterjee informed that under the new drug regimen, all pregnant women who tested HIV positive would be started on a lifelong Anti-Retroviral Treatment if CD4 counts are below 350. For mothers whose immune system is strong and CD4 counts are above 350, three drugs - during the pregnancy, delivery period and one week after completion of breastfeeding - will be provided as part of the Triple Drug Regiment. For babies born to HIV infected mothers, a six-week course of Sd-NVP syrup to be taken once daily will be provided, he said.

Chatterjee said that the incidence of HIV has come down by almost 56% and presently only 0.31% of the total population is affected with AIDS. He said that the government and its agencies plan to ensure that no fresh cases of HIV-AIDS are reported by 2015.

According to APSACS officials, mother-to-child transmission of HIV is one of the major modes of transmission of HIV to children, estimated to be 5.4% of total HIV infections. Of the 16.5 lakh estimated pregnancies in the State of Andhra Pradesh, 12,500 are expected to be HIV positive under the PPTCT program. In the last year, 11 lakh pregnant women have been tested in Andhra Pradesh. To every 100 HIV infected pregnant women, 30-40 babies born may get infected if no intervention is enacted during the pregnancy, the childbirth, or the breastfeeding period.

Therefore, the State Government through APSACS has been implementing the PPTCT program for protecting the mother and the child from HIV.

Senior officials of the state and the Central government, as well as voluntary organisations participated in the event. (INN)