Drugs to Curb a Deadly Inheritance

Lesotho, where 23 percent of the population are HIV-positive, is working with UNICEF and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to test three versions of the “Mother-Baby Pack” for HIV prevention and treatment. Since January, more than 14,000 test packs have been distributed.

When a pregnant woman visits a health clinic and is found to be HIV-positive with a CD4 count above 350, she is given a pack containing the antiretroviral AZT, to be taken starting at 14 weeks of pregnancy. The pack also includes nevirapine for the baby, to be given from birth until the infant is six weeks old.

For HIV-positive mothers with a CD4 count below 350, the pack includes the same medicine and dosing schedule for the baby, along with three, and sometimes four, antiretrovirals for the mother. A third pack, for women who do not have HIV, contains only nutritional supplements.

All the packs have an instructional pamphlet in the local language, Sesotho, and the packages are color-coded to show which drugs to take and when. Pictures are included for women who cannot read.

Some health experts question whether the packs could do more harm than good, since having seven months of medicines could make pregnant women less likely to seek prenatal care. There also is a chance the drugs could be misused and lead to resistance, or that stigma could cause some women to shun the packs.

“We are about to evaluate the program and will be able to objectively respond on the impact,” said Dr. Mpolai M. Moteetee, Lesotho’s director-general of health services. At that point, officials will know “how well the pack is received, the mothers’ capacity to use the medicines properly, and whether it is aiding in proper treatment.”

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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