THE public would have to wait another 12 months to know if the Eastern Cape government would provide Nevirapine to all HIV-positive pregnant women, acting health MEC Max Mamase said in Bisho on Wednesday afternoon. This follows last week’s call by the Treatment Action Campaign for the authorities to provide Nevirapine to HIV-positive pregnant women in the province, which is the most poverty-stricken in the country. There are two Nevirapine pilot projects in the province – East London and Mzimkhulu and 1350 women, both HIV-positive and negative, had visited the 47 clinics being used for the projects. But Mamase said the projects were hampered by poor infrastructure throughout the province. Of the 669 mothers that tested HIV positive, 201 had received a single Nevirapine tablet between August and December last year. In that period at least 183 HIV-positive women delivered and all of their babies received Nevirapine syrup. Mamase said the Eastern Cape Health Department would assess the preliminary results and only after 12 months it would take an ”informed decision” on whether to ”roll out” a full mother-to-child-treatment programme. Babies given the tablet would be assessed for 12 months. – Sapa
Wednesday February 6, 2001