Science and Health

Many newborns infected with HIV in Dominican Republic

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-12-02 14:38

HAVANA: A total of 1,200 children are born to HIV positive mothers every year in the Dominican Republic, 11 percent of whom are born with HIV/AIDS, according to official figures released on Tuesday in Santo Domingo.

Related readings:
Many newborns infected with HIV in Dominican Republic Boost monitoring of high-risk groups of AIDS: Wen
Many newborns infected with HIV in Dominican Republic Fight against AIDS
Many newborns infected with HIV in Dominican Republic World AIDS Day 2009 – Universal   Access and Human Rights

Gustavo Rojas Lara, director of the Presidential Council on AIDS (COPRESIDA), said every child born with HIV represented a failure for the Dominican medical system, doctors and the society.

According to the official figures, 1,300 Dominican children are now living with HIV, due to the lack of follow-up care to mothers and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission during delivery.

Twelve care units and nine counseling centers for people infected with the deadly virus were opened Tuesday to mark the World AIDS Day that falls on December 1 annually.

Gustavo Rojas Lara said 7,000 HIV-positive patients would be admitted to the subsidized system of Social Security.
Specials
Column
China Daily E-paper