Life
Jamaica on track to eliminating mother to child HIV transmission by 2015
Jamaica says it intends to eliminate mother to child transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and syphilis in Jamaica by 2015.
The government of Jamaica has since launched the National Paediatric AIDS Elimination Initiative that Health Minister Dr. Fenton Ferguson says will seek to ensure that the rate of mother to child transmission of HIV is equal to, or less than, two percent (0.3 cases per 1000 live births); and the incidence of congenital syphilis equal to, or less than 0.5 cases per 1000 live births.
Dr. Fergusson said that since 2002, Jamaica has been able to reduce mother to child transmission of HIV from 25 percent to less than 5 percent through appropriate interventions.
The fight against HIV/AIDS is entrenched in the policy initiatives being pursued by Jamaica to create an all-embracing health system based on quality care and that the goal is to bring health services closer to the community.
