Date:18/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/18/stories/2008021852530300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Plan to conduct HIV tests in all maternity hospitals

Staff Reporter

Kakinada: The Medical and Health Department has embarked on the exercise of ‘mapping’ private maternity hospitals where it can conduct HIV/AIDS tests for pregnant women to check parent-to-child transmission of the disease.

Treatment

According to the district nodal officer for HIV/AIDS M Pavan Kumar, HIV/AIDS tests will be done in the said private hospitals and treatment will be given to mothers, wherein ‘Neviraprine’ drug which prevents the HIV virus from afflicting the babies, will be administered. Besides, counselling will be given to the pregnant women. Hitherto, HIV/AIDS tests were conducted and counselling given only in the Government hospitals and primary health centres.

An orientation workshop for the department staff has been conducted recently to enable them to accomplish the task.