Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission

PPTCT Project:

MSEMVS has been implementing this project of Global Fund, RCC-2 Program for Prevention of Parents To Child Transmission since 2011.Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) is by far the most significant route of transmission of HIV infection in children below the age of 15 years. In countries, where quality screening program for blood safety are established and clean needles and syringes are widely available, it is virtually the only source of infection in the pediatric age group. By the end of 2000, the AIDS epidemic has claimed the lives of 4.3 million children globally while another 1.4 million children are living with HIV currently. One in eleven persons of those who became infected in the year 2000 was a child. HIV can be transmitted during pregnancy especially in the last trimester, during child birth, or breastfeeding. HIV infection is no longer restricted to the core groups practicing unsafe behaviors in six Indian states- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur and Nagaland but is also establishing itself in general population. Though majority of the Indian states are in low prevalence situation, the socio-demographic vulnerability fostering spread of HIV infection is likely drive the epidemic to become generalized unless intervention strategies are implemented effectively.

With 27 million pregnancies a year and an overall estimated 0.3 % prevalence rate of HIV infection among pregnant women, it is estimated that about 100,000 HIV infected women deliver every year. Using a conservative vertical transmission rate of 30%, about 30,000 infants acquire HIV infection each year. The lifespan of a child infected by HIV infection is lower than that found in adults. Thus HIV infection may increase health care expenditure both-public and at family level. Increasing numbers of children infected by HIV have a propensity to alter the mortality rates in childhood.

Although currently, India has a overall low prevalence of HIV among pregnant women in many parts of the country, with the progression of the epidemic in general population it is bound to rise in women in reproductive age group and thereby increasing chances of MTCT of HIV infection. Therefore, the challenge for future is how to keep the prevalence of HIV infection among women low and reduce mother to child transmission

The objective of this intervention is to prevent HIV transmission and mitigate the impact of HIV by expanding access to testing, counseling and prevention of parent to child transmission Services, strengthening inter program linkages, especially HIV and TB collaboration and integrating HIV Services with the general health system and MSEMVS has been performing the following activities for its objective:

·        Tracking and reporting number and percentage of HIV infected pregnant women and their babies receiving a complete course of ARV prophylaxis to reduce the risk of PPTCT

·        Tracking and reporting number of outreach workers trained on PPTCT module

·        Tracking and reporting number of District Level networks/ Civil Society Organization staff trained on PPTCT module

·        Tracking and reporting percentage of Infants born to HIV infected women who receive an HIV test within 2 months of birth

·        Tracking and reporting number of ART centers visited and data gathering

·        Tracking and reporting data on institutional delivery of positive pregnant women over total institutional deliveries

 

Supported by:

IL&FS Education & Technology Services Limited (IL&FS EDUCATION)

NTBCL Building, 2nd Floor Toll Plaza,

DND Flyway, Noida-201301-U.P.