HCM City Ensure ARV Treatment to Babies of HIV-infected Mothers

During the Action Month for Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission Prevention 2015 from June 1st-30th with the theme “Toward elimination of mother-to-child transmission”, Ho Chi Minh city has strengthened activities to ensure 99% of babies whose mothers are infected with HIV will receive ARV treatment to prevent HIV infection from their mother. It also strives to reach the target of over 97% of consulted pregnant women, who will agree to do an HIV test in the prenatal period; over 93% of HIV-infected pregnant women will receive ARV treatment to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission; over 87% of babies of HIV-infected mothers will be followed and cared after being born; and over 75% of HIV-infected mothers will be cared for and receive suitable interventions after giving birth. To reach the above targets, the city has implemented mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention activities in 100% of districts, communes and wards. The city is providing ARV treatment for more than 24,000 HIV/AIDS patients in 33 district-level treatment facilities and 165 communal-level facilities granting ARV. The mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention program has achieved positive results. The rate of mother-to-child transmission in many consecutive years is below 3%. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Committee for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control in February 2015, the city discovered more than 60,000 HIV/AIDS-infected people, including over 10,000 who had died from he lethal disease. (Dangcongsan.vn June 10)