PPTCT protects 75 per cent of newly born from HIV infections

Shimla, May 17 (UNI) In a remarkable achievement the Prevention of Parents to Child Transmission (PPTCT) programme in Himachal Pradesh has been able to contain the spread of the dreaded AIDS among the newly borns.

Talking to mediapersons here today Dr Sunil Mehra of MAMTA, a Delhi-based health institute for mother and child, said depleted immunity against the HIV/AIDS may not be restored well, but practicing of Prevention of Parents to Child Transmission (PPTC) had considerably protected 75 per cent of newly-born babies from contracting neo-natal infections in Himachal Pradesh.

Dr Mehra claimed that the utilisation of Ante Natal Care services by over 61.2 per cent women in rural areas and 76.2 in urban areas is quite significant and provided an opportunity to link all pregnant women and their spouses to voluntary counselling and testing services as well as to PPTCT services.

MAMTA had implemented a project funded by Australian agency in Solan and Hamirpur districts of the state to counsel women and their spouses to take anti AIDS/HIV measures in accordance to PPTCT to ensure a safe motherhood, he added.

The Project was implemented with the help of SNS foundation in Solan and Lok Vikas Mandal in Hamirpur. The project has received tremendous support from the State AIDS control society as well, Dr Mehra said.

''The PPTCT and safe motherhood services convergence had turned out to be more effective and citing the reference of good impact in Himachal Pradesh, principal secretary approved a training programme and this will be conducted by MAMTA in collaboration with Directorate of Health Services and Himachal Pradesh Aids Control Society,'' he added.

UNI XC AS JN BK1505