P45.01
Background: Pediatric HIV infections are largely due to mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) in utero, during delivery, or via breastfeeding. The highest burden of global pediatric HIV infections are in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where many of the countries still have high MTCT rates and new pediatric HIV infections. This study seeks to determine the role and trend of antiretroviral therapy in HIV positive women with respect to reduction in MTCT rate in the high burden countries of SSA countries since 2009 when call for virtual elimination of pediatric HIV was made.
Methods: Data were obtained from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2013 progress report on the Global Plan. The data were that of 21 SSA priority countries from 2009 to 2012. Our analysis focused on final MTCT rates, percent of women receiving antiretroviral agents (ARVs) to prevent MTCT, percent of women or infants receiving ARVs during breastfeeding to prevent MTCT and percent of HIV positive pregnant women receiving ART for their own health.
Results: The final MTCT rate reduced from 27% to 19%, p=0.0001. Percentage of women receiving ARVs to prevent MTCT was 63% in 2012, mean difference MD 30%, p=0.0001 and the percentage of women or infants receiving ARVs during breastfeeding was 43%, MD 33%, p=0.0001. The percentage of HIV positive pregnant women receiving ART was 54% in 2012, MD 34%, p=0.0001. The final MTCT rate was strongly negatively correlated with the percentage of women receiving ARVs to prevent MTCT (r=-0.9266; p<0.0001).
Conclusions: There has been a significant increase in ART coverage among HIV infected women in SSA in the last few years. Countries that have higher ART coverage tend to have lower MTCT rates thereby preventing many new infections. However there is still lot of work to be done to achieve total elimination.
