UN agencies press for anti-HIV integration into maternal health services

The agencies of the United Nations are seeking better integration of anti-HIV programs into maternal and newborn health services in the light of the 930,000 new HIV cases that surfaced in Asia and the Pacific last year.

In a statement, the World Heath Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UN Population Fund and the Joint UN Programs on HIV/AIDS said the strengthening of these vital health services may reverse the trend and cushion the impact of new HIV cases in the future.

These agencies underscored the need to integrate maternal and newborn health services with anti-HIV programs during the recent Asia-Pacific Joint Forum in Malaysia.

"With 60 percent of the world’s population living in this region and many countries with a high proportion of young people between the ages of 15 and 25, the need to scale up HIV prevention, treatment and care efforts and provide better reproductive health services is urgent," they said.

It was observed that the number of new infections among children and young people is growing.

In 2005, records showed that some 411,000 HIV-infected children lived in Asia — 90 percent of these children were infected by mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

The WHO added that, in many countries, efforts to heighten prevention of parent-to-child transmission and increase access to HIV treatment are underway.

"However, this can only succeed if we strengthen our investment in the primary health care system, especially to improve outreach and referral services to those who are most in need," the WHO said.

The statement released by the UN agencies also said that while the patterns of HIV infection vary from country to country and within the Asia-Pacific region, "there has been a rapid increase among people with high-risk behaviors — who are often poor, marginalized and increasingly women."

The number of HIV-infected women rose by 16 percent to over two million between 2001 and 2004. In many cases, young women acquired HIV through exploitative, coercive and violent sex. The global average increase is 18 percent.

According to UNICEF deputy regional director for Asia and the Pacific Richard Bridle, many countries in the region already have national guidelines in place to contain parent-to-child transmission of the virus.

"The challenge remains (regarding) how we better link these efforts to prevent disease and improve nutrition to provide a holistic package of services for mothers and their children," Bridle said.