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Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission a long
way off in DR Congo.
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| Article Type: | Brief article |
| Subject: |
Disease transmission
(Prevention) HIV (Viruses) (Prevention) Antiviral agents (Usage) Antiviral agents (Health aspects) Antiviral agents (Finance) |
| Pub Date: | 05/01/2012 |
| Publication: | Name: Reproductive Health Matters Publisher: Elsevier Science Publishers Audience: General Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Family and marriage; Health; Women's issues/gender studies Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Reproductive Health Matters ISSN: 0968-8080 |
| Issue: | Date: May, 2012 Source Volume: 20 Source Issue: 39 |
| Topic: | Event Code: 250 Financial management Computer Subject: Company financing |
| Geographic: | Geographic Scope: Congo (Kinshasa) Geographic Code: 6ZAIR Congo |
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| Accession Number: | 296571608 |
| Full Text: |
Prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission programmes are being
hampered in the Democratic Republic of Congo by poorly integrated
maternal health services, a lack of human resources and a serious
shortage of money for treatment. Only one laboratory in the country is
equipped to carry out polymerase chain reaction tests for early infant
diagnosis, with results taking weeks to reach the health centre that
initially took the blood test. According to 2011 government statistics,
only 5.6% of HIV-positive pregnant Congolese women were receiving
antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV transmission to their babies,
despite an official estimate of 36.8%. The closure of some HIV projects
and reduced funding for others has led to a nationwide shortage of
antiretroviral drugs. Even women who are registered for treatment often
have to pay for everything but the HIV test, including their patient
card and syringe, and transport costs, according to civil society
organisations. (1) (1.) DRC: End of mother-to-child HIV-transmission still a long way off. IRIN PlusNews, 24 April 2012. Doi: 10.1016/S0968-8080(12)39622-5 |
| Gale Copyright: | Copyright 2012 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. |