TANZANIA: Mother-to-child transmission targeted

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday said Tanzania had not effectively tackled the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in refugee camps.

"PMTCT has never been immediately associated with refugee health care. Existing HIV/AIDS programmes do not specifically address the issue," UNICEF emergency programme coordinator, Robert Carr, told the UN news service PlusNews.

Carr said it was for this reason that UNICEF and a number of health care NGOs were now targeting HIV-positive expectant women in northern and western Tanzania.

"Our newest PMTCT programme in the Mtendeli camp [western Tanzania] was built on the success of a pilot programme in the Ngara district [northwestern Tanzania]," he said.

Despite these programmes having been well-received, Carr expressed concern over funding to sustain them.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Children, Other,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]