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Preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in Zimbabwe

Journal of Perinatology volume 30, pages 763–764 (2010)Cite this article

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We appreciate the interest shown in our article1 by Shetty et al.2 In our study in Zimbabwe of looking for HIV transmission after introduction of single-dose nevirapine, we offered pregnant women an HIV test and none refused to have it. In recent years a lot of resources have been allocated to preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) so HIV testing has become the standard of care. However routine sexually transmitted infection screening is not. There is no active screening for mastitis antenatally in HIV-infected pregnant women.

We would like to commend the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe and partners such as EGPAF and USAID for initiating better PMTCT regimens recently.3 However, at primary health-care clinics ‘user fees’ have let some pregnant women escape. Those who do not book and present in labor are not automatically offered an HIV test.

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References

  1. Gumbo FZ, Duri K, Kandawasvika GQ, Kurewa NE, Mapingure MP, Munjoma MW et al. Risk factors of HIV vertical transmission in a cohort of women under a PMTCT program at three peri-urban clinics in a resource-poor setting. J Perinatol 2010; 30: 717–723.

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  2. Shetty AK, Chandisarewa W, Mahomva A, Mushavi A . Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in urban Zimbabwe. J Perinatol 2010; 30: 763.

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  3. Zimbabwe 2010 Country Report on HIV and AIDS. Reporting period: January 2008 to December 2009. Available on http://www.unaids.org(07 JUN 10).

  4. Gumbo FZ, Kurewa NE, Kandawasvika GQ, Duri K, Mapingure MP, Munjoma MW et al. Rising mother-to-child HIV transmission in a resource limited breastfeeding population. Trop Doct 2010; 40: 70–73.

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  5. Kurewa EN, Gumbo FZ, Munjoma MW, Mapingure MP, Chirenje MZ, Rusakaniko S et al. Effect of maternal HIV status on infant mortality: evidence from a 9-month follow-up of mothers and their infants in Zimbabwe. J Perinatol 2010; 30: 88–92.

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  6. Gumbo FZ, Kandawasvika GQ, Duri K, Mapingure MP, Kurewa EN, Natthoo K et al. Reduced HIV vertical transmission at subsequent pregnancy in a resource poor setting XX11 European Congress on Perinatal Medicine, 26–29 May 2010, Granada Spain, abstract.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe

    F Z Gumbo & G Q Kanadawasvika

  2. Department of Community Medicine, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe

    M P Mapingure

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe

    M Z Chirenje

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    B Stray-Pedersen

Authors
  1. F Z Gumbo
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  2. M P Mapingure
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  3. G Q Kanadawasvika
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  4. M Z Chirenje
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  5. B Stray-Pedersen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to F Z Gumbo.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Gumbo, F., Mapingure, M., Kanadawasvika, G. et al. Preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in Zimbabwe. J Perinatol 30, 763–764 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2010.107

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2010.107

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