Viet Nam moves to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission

The Viet Nam HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Department estimates that at present close to 6,000 HIV-infected women become pregnant each year and as a result, nearly 2,000 babies contract the virus from their mothers annually.

The department head, Duong Quoc Trong, provided the figures to participants at a seminar o­n the care of HIV-infected mother and preventive treatment of mother-to-child HIV transmissions, held in Ha Noi o­n August 30.

The health official warned that without proper care and treatment, there may be an increase in the number of HIV-infected children.

Pilot programmes o­n preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission have been carried out o­n a trial basis in the northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Lang Son, the northern port city of Hai Phong , Ho Chi Minh City and southern An Giang province.