PMTCT 365 Days of Action to end the hidden violence against women and children Protecting Women early

16 Days for Life 25 November - launch of campaign on International Day for Prevention of Violence Against Women 1 December World AIDS Day - appeal to South Africa: LEAD and UNITE to Stop HIV and AIDS 3 December, International Day for the Disabled - empower women, children and disabled who are victims and survivors of violence and horrors of war Campaign ends on International Human Rights Day,10 December.

Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) Link with 16 Days for Life Goal 4. Reduce child mortality Reduce by 2/3rds under 5 mortality by 2015 Goal 5. Improve maternal health Reduce maternal mortality rate by ¾ by 2015 Goal 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, other diseases Halt and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS and malaria, TB by 2015.

Protecting Women Protecting Families South African women of reproductive age are four times more likely to be HIV-infected than men Mortality more than tripled among women yrs with HIV/AIDS the single leading cause of death (‘97-04) 60,000 children are infected with HIV in a year Failure to promote testing for pregnant women and partners is a violation of the rights of pregnant women Testing is the gateway to PMTCT, the prevention of mother to child transmission and to treatment PMTCT approved Feb 2008 for pregnant women, offered in % in public sector but uptake varies from less than 30% to 98% so we can no longer remain silent

Promote PMTCT Protect Women & Children Tell friends and communities that PMTCT is available and accessible That all pregnant women should be tested on first antenatal visit to clinic or doctor That partner testing is recommended in the interests of the mother and child That pregnant women who are HIV positive can commence treatment to save the lives of mother and child

New PMTCT Guidelines That there is now agreement that: pregnant women with CD4 count less than 350 can commence triple therapy (HAART) All HIV+ women with CD4 less than 350 get AZT from 28 weeks and NVP in labour Women who were on dual therapy need additional week of AZT + 3TC postnatally to reduce risk of NVP resistance

New Paediatric Guidelines Agreement that paediatric starting criteria be revised All HIV infected infants (PCR+) start ARVs on diagnosis Children 1-5 years begin if CD4% less than 25% Children over 5 years begin if CD4 less than 350

Partnership for PMTCT National PMTCT mobilisation campaign in 2009 Take the message to families, friends, colleagues and communities Save the lives of women & children with PMTCT