“I am concerned to learn that 19 expecting mothers in the Swakopmund district refused ARVs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission in 2013,” Minister Richard Kamwi remarked on Monday. “Clearly, this puts the unborn babies at a significant risk of acquiring HIV infection at a time when we have very good interventions, which can eliminate the risk.” He said 86% of the 1 609 women who used health services in the Swakopmund district knew their HIV-status in 2013. Of those 196 women (12%) tested positive for HIV and were treated to prevent the transmission of the virus to their babies. The treatment to prevent mother-to-child infection was successful in 97% of cases, Kamwi said. “We can only support the baby if we know the status of the mother”, he said. “I cannot understand they would say no to ARV, it is highly regrettable. See HIV-statistics for the Erongo region here: namibtimes.net/forum/topics/minister-angry-about-hiv-women-who-refuse-arv-treatment
Posted on: Tue, 13 May 2014 16:13:22 +0000
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