Drugs to save babies of HIV mothers

 A new drug regimen to prevent HIV transmission from parent to child was launched on Friday in the state, which aims to reduce the number of new-born HIV infants to zero by 2015.

 Launching the new drug regimen (Tenofovir disoproxil fumerate, Lamivudine, Efavirenz tablets) at Ravindra Bharati on Friday, director-general of the department of AIDS control Sayan Chatterjee said the regimen will be a great challenge for doctors as they have to monitor the HIV positive mothers for at least 32 weeks till the child is free of HIV.

 As part of the National AIDS control programme, the new regimen was launched by the central government in the state, and will soon be initiated in Karnataka. NACO has also decided to extend it to Tamilnadu, Maharashtra and Manipur.

Sayan admitted that assistance from other countries and agencies for AIDS control has reduced due to global meltdown, but added that it will not impact the intervention programmes.

The Planning Commission is expected to sanction funds soon. APSACS project director C Parthasarathy said that mother to child transmission of HIV is estimated to be 5.5 percent of total HIV infections.