UT to launch AIDS prevention programme for kids

SOURAV SANYALCHANDIGARH: Thirtyeight children below five years of age from the region have been diagnosed assuffering from AIDS in the last four years in the government hospitals here.Though sexual contact remains the predominant HIV transmission mode,experts say that perinatal transmission is one of the major factors leading toAIDS in children.Going by the rising trends of HIV infection amongpregnant women in the five high prevalence states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Manipur, the National Aids Control Organisation(NACO), initiated a feasibility study on ''Prevention of Mother-to-ChildTransmission'' (PMTCT) using AZT anti-retroviral drug. Now, UT healthdepartment is gearing up to introduce PMTCT at PGI, Government Medical Collegeand Hospital and General Hospital next year. Speaking to Times News Network, UTState AIDS Control Society Director Dr NM Sharma said, "We have received thesanction for introducing PMTCT in the hospitals here. We are likely to launchPMTCT programme from February 1 next year."Commenting on the programme, DrSharma said, "Perinatal transmission leads to about 1.5-2.6 per cent of AIDScases. Keeping this in mind, counsellors would interact with pregnant womenmaking them aware about the need to undergo screening for HIV. Once a patientvolunteers for screening, she would be tested for HIV and if found positive,would be counselled again and doctors would take her consent regardingadministering the requisite drug during delivery. The child too would bevaccinated within 24 hours of birth."In PMTCT study conducted at 11institutions in the five high risk states, all the pregnant women attending theantenatal clinics at respective institutions were offered voluntary HIV testingafter group education and pre-test counselling. The HIV result wasdisclosed a few days later during one-to-one post-test counselling session.HIV-infected women were encouraged to bring in their husbands and partners forHIV testing. All willing pregnant women were offered short duration oral AZT 300mg twice daily after 36 weeks of gestation."We will, however, adopt adifferent approach. We have conducted AZT trials here in 2001-02 and certaindrawbacks surfaced as the treatment was a prolonged one," Dr Sharma said.