Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 18:
With the increase in facilities for availing Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPCT) treatment in Manipur, Project Director of Manipur State Control Society (MACS) Dr Kh Pramodkumar has appealed to all the pregnant women to go to health institutions for delivery of their child to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDS from parent to child.
Participating in the PANI (Prevention of AIDS in North East India) Partners meet held at the conference hall of Hotel Nirmala here today, Dr Pramodkumar said Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission, in short PPTC, is one very important measure to control spread of HIV virus from infected parents to their children.
PPTC facilities are now available in 16 designated areas including RIMS, JN Hospital, all District Hospitals and Health Centres of every Sub-divisional headquarters, he informed.
Stressing on the important of regular health check-up, Dr Pramodkumar said every pregnant women, whether they suspect that they have been exposed to the HIV virus or not should undergo medical check up and make sure to come to the health centres for delivery cases so that necessary treatment could be given both to the mother as well as to the child to prevent spread of HIV virus.
While noting that 80 percent of the pregnant women in Manipur delivered their child at home while only 20 percent care to come to the health centres for the same purpose, Dr Pramodkumar said this is one main reason why the facilities of PPTC could not be made available to all the pregnant women.
The ultimate target of PPTC is to cover at least 80 percent of the pregnant women.
Efforts are also being made to provide Nevirapine to both the mother and child even in all the private hospitals where such facilities have not yet been extended under the programme of MACS, he disclosed.
The partners of PANI which attended interactive programme facilitated by Catholic Relief Services include SASO, MNP +, Catholic Medical Centres, Care Foundation, Life Line Foundation, DSSS, Imphal and Kripa Foundation.
The programme mainly aimed at sharing the project experience and learning with MACS while exploring the possibilities and opportunities for linkages and networking with the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) Phase-II roll out.
It is said that under its project, SASO has enrolled 294 male and 244 female clients with children population of 112 who are receiving various kinds of services.
The activities of MNP+ include psychological support, health and medical care, outreach services and others with a total enrolment of 1160 clients including 208 children and 221 widows.
Care Foundation, Don Bosco emphasised on integrated approach to prevention of HIV/AIDS through literary campaign in non-formal setting like teachers' quarters, churches, etc.
DSSS, Imphal focused its project on integrated HIV/AIDS prevention in the hill districts of Tamenglong, Churachandpur and Senapati through community based programmes like sensitisation, mobilisation, educational campaigns, imparting training to Church leaders and SHG formation, etc.