Chief Nursing Officer and Family Health Coordinator, Ms Jascinth Hannibal (left) is optimistic the territory will be endorsed for eliminating mother to child HIV transmission. Photo: File

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can be transmitted from mother to baby if specific actions are not taken. Photo: Internet Source

The territory’s health care system will come under scrutiny for two days –Thursday July 7 and Friday July 8, 2016 by an evaluating team from the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) as well as the World Health Organisation (WHO) who will be in the territory to determine just that, through visits to healthcare facilities, dialoguing with various providers and users and the processes, and procedures will be placed under the microscope.

Hannibal pointed out that better access to professional birth attendants, increased coverage of routine HIV and syphilis screening, and improved access to HIV prophylaxis and syphilis treatment, help to reduce the incidence of transmission.

She said the elimination initiative aspires to have generations free of HIV and Syphilis and aims to reduce the incidence of transmission to 0.3 cases per 1000 live births, and the reduction of congenital syphilis to 0.5 cases per 1000 live births or less.

According to information reaching Virgin Islands News Online, the VI continues to have a relatively low incidence of HIV with 7 cases identified in 2015 and three this year so far.

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, can be transmitted from mother to baby if specific actions are not taken. Early identification that mother is HIV positive, access to medication to treat the mother, preventative procedures at birth and early treatment of the infant, including exclusive bottle feeding, are critical to prevent mother to child transmission.

Employ safe sex practices; Know your status

Residents are encouraged to know their status, get tested and access treatment early if infected in order to have a better quality of life.

The Virgin Islands is also urged to employ safe sexual practices, which include having one partner, consistently and correctly use condoms and abstain from risky situations such as alcohol and drug use that impair judgment.

Testing is conducted at the Family Health Unit and the HIV Foundation offices free of cost.