Thousands babies averting HIV
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Rachel Mazombwe-Zulu has said, through Option B Plus programme, the country is now preventing thousands of mothers from passing on HIV to their babies.
She was speaking at Kalambo School ground in Lilongwe on Saturday during the commemoration of World Aids Day organised by the Lilongwe City Council (LCC).
Mazombwe-Zulu’s observations follow various health reports, including from UNAids, which indicate that the new programme has reduced the number of new HIV infections and Aids-related deaths.
“New HIV infections in babies are being avoided in the hundreds of thousands as a result of Malawi’s world acclaimed Option B Plus programme through which HIV positive mothers are put on life-long treatment,” she said.
The minister said the new programme is essential in getting to zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero Aids-related deaths by 2015.
“This programme is heralding virtual elimination of mother to child HIV transmission. It is also keeping the mothers alive. Thus the dream of an HIV free generation is firmly in sight.
“However, we still have a lot of work ahead, as according to UNAids report, there is still 126 Aids-related deaths in Malawi per 160 000 people in need of treatment,” said Mazombwe-Zulu
LCC chief executive officer Richard Hara said the commemoration was aimed at raising awareness on HIV/Aids.
