Free treatment for HIV pregnant women available

January 12, 2007 :: Chuka Odittah,Lagos, ThisDay

The Federal Government yesterday charged all HIV positive pregnant women across the country to insist on receiving free anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) as well as free child delivery services in all government hospitals. This, the government said is the right of pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS virus.

Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, gave the charge during the 50th National Council on Health held in Abuja.

The minister said government commenced the free ARV and ante- natal treatment for all HIV positive pregnant women in federal institutions since January 2006.

Lambo said it is illegal for any federal health institution to demand child delivery charges from HIV positive pregnant women.

According to the minister, government through collaboration with various development partners have absorbed all costs that would have been paid by HIV positive pregnant women.

The minister noted that government has continued to take steps to reverse the high level of maternal mortality in the country, just as he said new modalities for achieving same are already in place.

"Maternal mortality continues to be a problem in Nigeria. One in every thirteen women die from child birth related cause. In order to address the issue, the Federal Ministry of Health with the support from UNICEF and WHO is developing a strategy for maternal mortality reduction. More health health workers have been trained on life saving improvement skills", he said.

Professor Lambo added that at least 10 Federal Medical Centres have been equipped with state of the art machines to provide quality and effective emergency obstetric care for women.