IMPHAL, Dec 26 – Inadequate coverage in reaching out to pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS is leading to an increase in the number of children living with HIV/AIDS in Manipur, according to Program Director (Technical) of Manipur State Aids Control Society (MACS), Dr Kh. Pramodkumar Singh.
Dr Pramodkumar was speaking as one of the main resource persons during a two-day refresher training programme of outreach workers held here at the conference hall of the MACS R&D wing at Lamphelpat on December 21-22. The training programme which was organized by Rural Health and Social Development Organisation, Nambol (RHSDO) in collaboration with MACS concluded here yesterday.
Stating that there are around 2000 children living with HIV/AIDS in the state, Dr Pramodkumar emphasized that strengthening of the Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission (PPTCT) through the active intervention and work of outreach workers is most necessary to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Stating that prevention and intervention of mother-to-child transmission has become the most crucial aspect of the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in face of the global as well as state scenario of the epidemic crossing over from the high- risk population to the general public, Dr Pramodkumar added that among the total number of women living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, 90 percent are housewives.
Therefore, this fact increases the chance of the children being infected, and thus arises the need to intervene in this aspect of mother-to-child transmission. “This is very important because without it, we cannot prevent or control HIV/AIDS,” he added.
Interacting with the participants, MACS Deputy Director Dr AK Khamba highlighted the aspects of HIV-TB co-infection, as well as the need to increase the client update in the state.
UNICEF Consultant Arun Meitram detailed the PPTCT programme as well as problems faced by the outreach workers and the possible solutions. He also highlighted the upcoming convergence of PPTCT services with the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
Speaking on the occasion, project director of RHSDO Kh Jibon Singh stated that the main objective of organizing the training programme is strengthening and proper implementation of the PPTCT programme to ensure that there are no HIV positive children in the next generation.