MIN/Sp/AU/CAMH3/6 HIV/AIDS
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women attending antenatal care (ANC) have access to essential services to
reduce MTCT.
Effective PMTCT programs consist of the following elements: primary prevention
of HIV infection among women of childbearing age, prevention of unintended
pregnancies
among
HIVinfected women, and prevention
of mother to child transmission.
In 2007, over 470,000 HIV
positive
pregnant
women
reportedly received ARVs for
PMTCT purposes —over 50%
increase from 2006 figure of
slightly over 300,000.
This
figure, despite representing
commendable progress, it is
estimated to represent only
about one third of those in need
of the service. Map 3.1 (on the
right) shows the distribution of
PMTCT coverage rates (%) in
WHO African Region for 2007.
The median percentage of ANC
facilities in 23 countries offering PMTCT services is 31—ranging from 0 to 100%
(Figure 3.9). Among these countries, the total number of ANC facilities offering
PMTCT services is over 8,200, with a median of 129 per country—ranging from 0
in Comoros to 1,311 in Tanzania. In Egypt, 7.3% of pregnant women receive
treatment in order to reduce
mother-to-child transmission, whereas the
percentage is 3.3 in Somalia.