The Ministry of Health and Services has reported that out of the 552 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) reported this year. The youngest to have contracted HIV is less than one year old.
Dr. Rachael Devi, the head of Family Health under the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, has released this statistic.
This was during the opening of their Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Immunisation Coverage Survey Training at the FNU Campus in Tamavua.
Dr Devi said the transmission was mainly through mother to child. She emphasized the need for more immunization vaccination surveys as vaccination has contributed to fewer deaths of young children.
Dr. Devi also highlighted the concept of ‘you equal to you’. An individual’s positive test results suppress the viral load to undetectable, preventing transmission to the partner.
The immunisation coverage training goes out to the field and works closely with the Bureau of Statistics.
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) are working together to address the challenges faced by children worldwide.
Dr Devi appealed to mothers to come in for booking and get tested during pregnancies, as many babies were delivered healthy.
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