The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Private hospitals to conduct AIDS screening test

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Sunday, Feb 24, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Private hospitals to conduct AIDS screening test

Staff Reporter

90 hospitals identified in East Godavari district
Vertical transmission can be controlled, says official

Kakinada: East Godavari district which ranks high in the State in prevalence of HIV/AIDS has got a better chance of curbing the menace to a large extent due to the AP State AIDS Control Society (APSACS)’s initiative to extend the HIV/AIDS testing and treatment facilities to private maternity hospitals. By doing so, the APSACS planned to prevent the vertical (mother-to-child) transmission of HIV/AIDS, which is estimated to be two per cent in the district. Hitherto, HIV/AIDS tests were conducted and counselling given only in the Government hospitals and primary health centres. Now, expectant mothers’ will be screened in the private hospitals and treated with the drug ‘Neviraprine’ which prevents the babies from being afflicted by the HIV virus.District nodal officer for HIV/AIDS M. Pavan Kumar told The Hindu that about 38 per cent of the child births in a year take place in private hospitals where no conceiving women could be tested for the possibility of them passing HIV virus to the children. Nearly 50 per cent deliveries take place in government hospitals and the remaining at homes.

The Medical and Health Department has identified 90 hospitals for providing HIV/AIDS testing kits and offer treatment to pregnant women.

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Andhra Pradesh