RE: [pronut-hiv] Wet nursing a much safer option than breastmilk substitute feeding (4)

["Sandra Remancus" <sremancu@smtp.aed.org>]

I think the point being made is that no one wants to see mothers in
Africa "just take their chances".  Asking whether there is evidence to
support certain conclusions and certain approaches is necessary if we
want to support the best possible outcomes.  It doesn't mean that we
have to stop everything until the evidence is in - and no one is
suggesting that - it's just a reminder to take all the facts into
consideration when promoting specific infant feeding options in the HIV
context.  

It's a reminder to us all to not jump to conclusions and a reason why
forums like this one are so important for informative discussion and
debate.

Sandy

Sandra Remancus
Senior Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Specialist
FANTA Project/AED
1825 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington DC  20009-5721
ph: (202) 884-8773
fax: (202) 884-8432
email: sremancu@aed.org

----George M. Carter: At 01:11 PM 4/12/2006, you wrote:

>Marie -- Is there evidence is to support the conclusion that "Wet
>nursing is a much safer option than breast milk substitute feeding"?

You know what? There probably isn't. And most mothers in Africa
probably 
have to just take their chances or let their baby die.

The mothers are not perusing the data. They're not forcing the wet
nurse to get tested every other week. They're probably just trying to
not die 
themselves.

Mainly because most people STILL don't have access to ARVs. And a lot
of 
them that do may get an appetite back but then there's nothing to eat.

Not everyone--not all HIV+ folks are that poor. But a lot.

It's not time to waste a lot of money on the epidemiology of wet
nurses. 
It's time to get more food to people. More clean water.

Not through privatizing the water either.

It's time to assert labor laws and rights to make it WORTHWHILE to be a

nurse or doctor in Zambia. Rather than head to the US or the UK.

It's time for PEPFAR to give its funds to GFATM--and its time for GFATM
to 
have a shake up.

It's time for MORE GENERIC ARVs--and maybe use eminent domain when the

Pfizers and Abbotts screw people to death while regurgitating some 
non-nutritional pabulum about what they're gonna offer knowing they'll

break yet another promise.

It's time for George W. Bush and his cohort to resign in disgrace.

It's time for a lot of things.

But mostly, it'll just be what it has always been.

A time to die.
George M. Carter