NACA laments increasing Mother-To-Child HIV transmission

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has expressed concern over increasing transmission of Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus, HIV from pregnant mothers to their offsprings.

The agency said despite the availability of anti-retroviral drugs to Nigerian pregnant women living with HIV, about 28 percent of them still infect their offsprings.

Dr. Sani Aliyu, the agency’s Director General, said the situation has increased the number of children living with the disease.

Aliyu cited dysfunctional Early Infant Diagnosis, EID system, as part of reason for the development.

“In 2015, Nigeria successfully increased Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services to over 7,265 sites with 53,677 pregnant women placed on antiretroviral treatment. Despite this progress, a lot more needs to be done to stop children getting infected with HIV”, he said.