Thailand Becomes First Asian Country to Eliminate Mother-to-Child HIV Spread

Thailand has become the first Asian country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, the World Health Organization announced Tuesday.

A milestone in the fight against the disease is another step in Thailand's aggressive campaign to reduce new cases of AIDS, but experts warn many other problems still exist, including the rate of increase of new HIV infections among gay men and transgender.

Belarus and Armenia were also declared free of mother-to-baby HIV transmissions on Wednesday, but both nations have a much lower prevalence of the virus.

Previously, Cuba was the only other country to have eliminated mother-to-child transmission under the WHO's criteria back in July 2015.

The gobal health body said,  Thailand's routine screening and universal free medication for pregnant women with HIV was crucial in stopping the virus being passed to new generations.

If left untreated, mothers with HIV have a 15 to 45 percent chance of transmitting the virus to their children during pregnancy, childbirth or while breastfeeding.

But taking antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy significantly reduces those chances to just over 1 percent.

In 2000, Thailand became one of the first countries in the world to provide free antiretroviral medication to all pregnant women diagnosed with HIV.

It is a major turn-around for Thailand. The country went from 100,000 HIV cases in 1990 to more than 1 million three years later, fuelled in part by its huge sex trade.

"Thailand's progress shows how much can be achieved when science and medicine are underpinned by sustained political commitment," UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said in statement.

But there is still work to be done. The UN estimates there are some 500,000 living with HIV in the kingdom, while infection rates have risen slightly in recent years, particularly among gay men.

Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, Thailand's Minister of Public Health said, the landmark announcement "belong to everyone" but added "a challenge remains: how we make this success sustainable."




source:
The Guardian