Zimbabwe targets to reduce HIV infections in pregnant women

The Zimbabwean government has targeted to reduce HIV infections in pregnant women from 25 percent to 5 percent by 2015 through increasing Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services. Aids and TB Unit director Dr Owen Mugurungi quoted by the state media New Ziana said there was need to redouble primary prevention measures to achieve the goal. "The special focus is on PMTCT because about 60 percent of our successes will come from primary prevention of new infections. It is a good entry point in the national response to HIV and AIDS," he said. Dr Mugurungi said the low rate of infection would be achieved through provision of preventative as well as antenatal care for expecting mothers. "We will make sure that all women who are pregnant and HIV positive get Antiretroviral drugs and more efficacious regiments," he said. He urged pregnant women to book early to prevent the transmission of HIV and AIDS from the mother to the child before birth. "Early booking and antenatal care access so that all pregnant women are tested for HIV is necessary. There is also need to follow up all the born babies," he said. Dr Mugurungi also urged all men to be involved as a way of scaling up PMTCT services as government works to improve friendliness of maternal facilities. "Husband involvement is generally low and poor because our clinics are not friendly. We need to improve them so that men willing to accompany their wives feel comfortable," he said. He said the five percent infection rate in pregnant women by 2015 was an uphill task for the government which was currently burdened by inadequacy of nurses. Currently the HIV and AIDS prevalence in Zimbabwe is 14.2 percent. Statistics show that 15,000 new babies continue to be infected every year. Zimbabwe will host a National HIV and AIDS conference from Sept. 5 to 9. The conference will run under the theme "Eliminate new HIV infections in children-keep the mothers alive".