Why use single dose NVP for PPTCT?

[Guest guest]

Dear friends,

On 7th August 2006 WHO released guidelines for prevention of mother to child

transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in resource limited settings: A public health

approach

The guidelines clearly mentions that the national program managers are strongly

encouraged to develop their capacities to implement the recommended regimen for

PMTCT which consists of antepartum AZT from 28th weeks onwards of pregnancy (or

as soon as possible thereafter): intrapartum AZT and lamivudine (3TC) plus a

single dose of NVP; and postpartum AZT and 3TC for seven days for women and

Single dose NVP and AZT for one week for infants.

It makes one think

Why we are still using single dose NVP in our national PPTCT program?

Do we really lack capacities and resources to deliver AZT based protocol?

Friends, I think it is a serious issue as we are spending millions on

implementing these program with a false sense of security that we are saving

children from acquiring the infection.

We can certainly do better in reducing the Mother to Child transmission, than

what we are currently doing.

ARWA

e-mail: arwasd@...