The City of Tshwane’s health department has expressed concern over the continued rise in Mother-To-Child transmission of HIV in the district.
According to the department, there are about 230 babies in the province tested for HIV; despite having preventative measures put in place in the public health facilities.
The district counted 39 cases between January and June.
Mother-to-child transmission of HIV occurs when a pregnant person living with HIV passes HIV onto their baby during pregnancy and feeding practices.
The Director for Primary Healthcare Programmes at the Tshwane Department of Health Melanie Langeveldt said among other strategies to combat the high rate of infected-born babies, the department has introduced a door-to-do programme.
“These initiatives aim to reduce mother and child morbidity and death by ensuring that clinics provide quality services. This programme’s key target areas include, among others, basic prenatal care and prevention of MTCT transmission,” said Langeveldt.
South African National Aids Council has also highlighted several causes of MTCT, HIV-positive mothers defaulting on antiretroviral treatment during the breastfeeding period, lack of or no male partner testing for HIV during the pregnancy and breastfeeding period and underuse of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment to prevent HIV transmission.
POWER News
POWER 98.7
www.power987.co.za
