Elimination of congenital syphilis - a story of sheer negligence and apathy

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

WHO estimate says, every year, globally, 12 million people get affected by

syphilis, 2 million pregnancies get affected with 25% of them end in still-birth

and 25% of the newborn are born low birth weight or with serious infection.

Congenital syphilis is a preventable and treatable disease. This can be

eliminated by regularized ante-natal screening of syphilis and timely treatment

of the infected pregnant women. The interventions are cost-effective and can be

easily managed at primary healthcare level.

Unfortunately, very unfortunately, other than WHO, there is no global level

advocacy to sensitize the countries for elimination of congenital syphilis,

where, the picture is so completely contrasting in PMTCT programs. Syphilis is

lacking the ‘HIV glamour’ in it and continues to stay back in the dark

forgotten corner of the ‘neglected’ diseases.

In India, the picture is not different. Elimination of congenital syphilis is

yet to find its place neither in RCH II nor NACP III as one of the key

strategies.

I like to know the response and comments of the learned members.

 

Regards,

Sugata

 

Dr Sugata Mukhopadhyay

New Delhi

e-mail: <sugataids@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

This is in response to Dr. Sugata Mukhopadhyay's email.

Re: /message/10777

The good news is that all Government hospitals at least in Delhi routinely

conduct VDRL test for all women registering themselves for hospital delivery.

I think these guidelines are issued to all Government hospitals throughout the

country. May be this may be confirmed from the Ministry

of Health and Family Welfare.

Siddhartha,

AIDS Awareness Group (AAG) Phones 91-11-2618 7953 and 54

e-mail: <aag94@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Rrespected Madam Dr Sugata Mukhopadhyay,

Re: /message/10777

Considering the issue GSACS --- part of NACO started compulsory VDRL/RPR for

syphyllis screen along with PPTCT in the same blood samples at free of cost to

all patient attanding anc clinic with pptct program this is the move since last

>1year

Nitin Raithatha

e-mail: <dr_nitin_raithatha@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr Sugata,

Re: /message/10777

I fully agree with you. We have to see the trend of VDRL reactivity among

antenatal cases which were taken as general population samples from NACO annual

sentinel surveillance data from the year of commencement till 2009.

This will provide a lot of information to formulate our strategy in future.

Regards.

Dr (Prof.) H K Kar

Consultant & HOD

Department of Dermatology, STD & Leprosy

P.G.I.M.E.R. and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital

Baba Kharag Singh Marg

New Delhi-110001

E-MAIIL: hkkar_2000@...>