BMJ  2007;334:1143-1146 (2 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39211.527488.94

Analysis

Monitoring and evaluation of programmes to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV in Africa

¹ Clinical Trials Area, Westat, Rockville, Maryland, USA, ² Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Many countries are expanding the coverage of programmes to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV. Although the need is unquestionable, Richard Reithinger and colleagues are concerned that without true measures of effectiveness we may not be making the best use of resources

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

In 2006, an estimated 2.3 million children under 15 years were living with HIV and about half a million babies became infected with HIV before birth, during delivery, or through breast feeding.¹ Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV is therefore a priority for agencies fighting the global HIV epidemic, but many questions remain about the effectiveness of the current programmes. We use the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief² as an example to examine how programmes to prevent mother to child transmission are monitored and evaluated and to highlight the problems.

Estimates of the efficacy of antiretroviral prophylaxis³ suggest that at least half of the world's children who are at risk of HIV infection might be protected if a mother receives antenatal care, is offered HIV counselling and testing, and, if infected, she and her baby receive prophylaxis. Prophylaxis is the mainstay of the strategy to prevent mother . . . [Full text of this article]

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This article has been cited by other articles:

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