Uganda: AIDS drug made for rural women

By Raymond Baguma
THE US Centres for Disease Control has developed a home-delivery package of Nevirapine to boost chances of safe birth for pregnant HIV-positive women in rural areas.

The pilot programme carried out in Tororo district aims at increasing the chances of safe delivery and reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Dr. Julius Kalamya, a specialist, said less than 30% of pregnant women deliver in health facilities in Uganda.

“We found a good number of mothers, who delivered at home because they stayed far away from health facilities. They also lacked transport. One way to look at safety was to pack Nevirapine for them.”

The take-home Nevirapine syrup is packed in an aluminum foil and is given to the expectant mothers. Findings of the pilot project done between October 2005 and December 2007 indicate that 982 pregnant women tested HIV-positive at Tororo Hospital.

Of these, 807 were given the Nevirapine tablet, while 744 were given the syrup pack. The beneficiaries and midwives said it was easy to carry, store and administer.

Kalamya noted that current health guidelines do not recommend giving the syrup to mothers during their antenatal care visit. He urged the health ministry to consider including the provision of the Nevirapine syrup to HIV-infected mothers in its national programmes.

Kalamya presented the findings at the ongoing HIV/AIDS implementers’ meeting in Kampala.

This article was published in The New Vision on Thursday June 5, 2008