Illustration photo: A pregnant woman is reciving consultation. Source: diendanhiv
With the goal to completely eradicate HIV transmitted from mothers to children in 2015, the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang is launching a range of measures.
According to Tran Kim Long, Director of the Hau Giang Centre for HIV/AIDS Prevention, the local health sector has set up medical units providing voluntary HIV tests, consultations and treatment for pregnant women in all obstetrics establishments across the province.
These facilities assist HIV-infected mothers with prevention treatment as well as advice on child-rearing and the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARV) .
As a result, more than 10,000 women have benefited each year and Hau Giang recorded 70 percent of its female residents receiving prenatal health examinations.
Intensive communication campaigns have also been carried out to raise public awareness and support.
Since 2012, there have not been any cases of newborns contracting the disease from their mothers in the province.
However, the local HIV/AIDS prevention programme is facing financial problems as the budget has been cut by 80 percent since 2013.-VNA
