In 2020, 1.7 million people in Nigeria were living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), according to National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). Women being the most affected group, numbering about 960 thousand. Agreeably, this puts children at a very high risk of infection.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), HIV can be transmitted from infected pregnant woman to her infant during pregnancy to breastfeeding periods. However, with effective medical intervention, the rate of maternal to child transmission of HIV can be curtailed.
Some of the interventions include the sensitization of isolated communities and youths to the dangers of having unprotected sex, guidelines for HIV prevention, care and treatment for infected pregnant women, among others. Also, intensifying prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes in health care centres.
#MondayHealthBurst #PMTCT #Health4All #HIVAIDSPrevention
