405 Babies of HIV Mothers Born W/o Infection

Aizawl — Out of 437 babies whose mothers were tested positive for HIV, 405 were born HIV negative, officials of the Prevention of Parents Child Transmission Centre (PPTCTC) said today.

The figures were revealed in a statistics report related to births from 2011 till July this year, the officials said.

All the pregnant women were tested at the Aizawl Civil Hospital and a record was maintained, they said.

The PPTCTC was established at the Hospital in 2005 where experts undertook counseling and treatment of pregnant women infected with HIV.

The PPTCTC also provided Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) and Multi Drug Regiment (MDR) treatment to the young patients.

EID service commenced from 2011 and blood samples of 437 infants were tested at the NICED Laboratory in Kolkata, of which 32 were found to be infected with HIV through their mothers, the officials said, adding, all the babies were given regular treatment and were in good health.

Anti Retroviral Therapy (ART) Plus Centre was established at the Aizawl Civil Hospital in 2006 where 4,099 HIV positives including 187 minors were registered.

Among those who received ART, 1,005 people have died, including 23 minors, since 2011. (PNA/PTI) LGI/RSM