[pronut-hiv] Training helps to significantly reduce the transmission of HIV

["Harold Robles - Medical Knowledge Institute" <hrobles@infomki.org>]

Training helps to significantly reduce the transmission of HIV


Oostvoorne, the Netherlands, 1 June 2006 - An information and education
program that instructs trainers of midwives and healthcare professionals in
preventing transmission of HIV from mother to child will help to
significantly reduce the number of newly born children infected with HIV in
developing countries. This conclusion by the Medical Knowledge Institute
(MKI), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and VU University
Medical Centre of Amsterdam follows the completion of a trial project in
South Africa. The program set up by the three organizations is the first
train-the-trainer program designed to prevent vertical transmission of the
virus in South Africa.

The education program shows trainers how to instruct healthcare
professionals in using available and affordable antiretroviral medication to combat the HIV/AIDS virus during and after pregnancy so as to prevent
transmission of HIV to children.

The trainers help midwives determine such matters as when they need to start or stop treatment, when and how to adjust the dose of medication and how to motivate pregnant women with t HIV to start taking the
medication on time, to continue taking the medication daily and to ensure
that their children receive the medication. They also advise on breast
feeding and on dealing with side-effects of the medication. The program has
been introduced in eight of South Africa's nine provinces. It has resulted
in many replication projects and will shortly be offered in three other
African countries.

A total of 3.1 million people died of AIDS in 2005 and estimates by the
United Nations indicate that approximately 5 million people were infected
with the HIV virus in the same year. Worldwide, 40.3 million people are
believed to be infected with the HIV virus. Two-thirds of the victims live
in Africa. Most infections occur among women and children.

The Netherlands Red Cross provides financial support for the information and training program.

 About MKI

The Medical Knowledge Institute (MKI), the organization that is coordinating the program, is an international non-profit healthcare organization dedicated to providing education and information based on its conviction that healthcare is a basic human right. The programs are designed to improve the quality and humanitarian values of healthcare, especially in developing countries. Medical experts from all over the world are engaged to carry out the programs. MKI is based in the Netherlands.

 
About ICM

The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is an international
non-governmental organization made up of 85 national midwives' associations
from over 70 countries. It provides leadership in global midwifery and
represents and brings together the midwives of the world. The mission of the Confederation is to advance worldwide the aims and aspirations of midwives in the attainment of improved outcomes for women, their newborns and families during the childbearing years, using the ICM midwifery philosophy and model of care. www.internationalmidwives.org
<http://www.internationalmidwives.org/>  

 About VU Medical Centre

VU Medical Centre (VUmc) of Amsterdam is one of the eight teaching hospitals in the Netherlands. The center's activities include high-quality scientific research into HIV/AIDS and top referral care for patients with AIDS. VUmc physicians who treat AIDS patients possess considerable experience in treating people with the disease in other parts of the world, especially in Surinam (a former overseas Dutch territory) and countries in Africa. Since 2000 they have been actively involved in projects including the introduction
of a national HIV treatment program in Botswana. www.vumc.nl
<http://www.vumc.nl/>  

 For more information contact MKI via e-mail at info@infomki.org 

or by calling +31 181 486804. www.infomki.org <http://www.infomki.org/>