Andhra Pradesh: Plan to conduct HIV tests in all maternity hospitals

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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.

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