The Health Department is preparing to introduce dual therapy to improve prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The National Strategic Plan for HIV and Aids and Sexually Transmitted Infections — adopted by Cabinet earlier this year — allows for introducing dual therapy for reducing mother-to-child transmission, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
Furthermore, the move from single-dose nevirapine to dual therapy (Nevirapine and AZT) had been discussed by the National Health Council (NHC), which included the minister and provincial ministers of health.
The discussions centred on recommendations by the Medical Research Council, National Essential Drugs Committee and the Medicines Control Council to move to dual therapy.
The NHC took a decision to evaluate the use of Nevirapine in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The NHC also considered implications for implementation, including training and capacity of health workers, adherence counselling and support to women.
Further, work was now being done to improve guidelines and facilitate appropriate training for health workers, stock management, monitoring of resistance and information management for the introduction of such a therapy, the department said. — Sapa