Treatment Action Campaign

Some progress, but serious problems remain

 Contents

• Crisis of maternal health and mother-to-child HIV transmission
  • Statement by TAC 
  • Statement by Southern African HIV Clinicians Society

Crisis of maternal health and mother-to-child HIV transmission:

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Dear Readers

Happy new year! 

We hope that in 2008 the implementation of the National Strategic Plan will gain momentum and many lives will be saved. Your support will help us achieve this. Support TAC by making a donation to fund our efforts. For details, go to http://www.tac.org.za/donate.html.  Many thanks. 

 We must improve the maternal health and prevention of mother-to-child transmission programme

Tomorrow, TAC's Gauteng branches will march in Germiston to demand better maternal health and prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services in the Ekurhuleni district. We want the health facilities in this district to become a model of excellent PMTCT delivery that other hospitals and clinics across the country can emulate.

Contents

The Minister of Health has made statements to the media that the Department of Health has long been prepared to implement dual therapy regimens in all the provinces in South Africa, but has been prohibited by the 2001 Constitutional Court judgment in Minister of Health and Others v TAC and Others. She states that the judgment limited the Department of Health to implementing only 'monotherapy' nevirapine (NVP) to mothers with HIV to reduce mother-to-child transmission.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) National Executive Committee has resolved to mobilise to improve the public health system's mother-to-child transmission prevention programme. Tens of thousands of infants contract HIV every year in South Africa. A government inquiry released in 2006 showed unacceptably high maternal mortality.