Each year, around 1.3 million women living with HIV become
pregnant and just under one million pregnant women are infected with
syphilis.
According to the UN health agency, dual test kits, which
cost less than one dollar, are now available for pregnant women to stem
mother-to-child HIV and syphilis transmission.
The low cost is possible, thanks to a new partnership
between the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), MedAccess and SD
Biosensor.
“Up to today, WHO has prequalified three different dual
HIV/syphilis rapid tests and many countries have adopted these recommendations
and are introducing the tests, particularly in the African Region.
“WHO estimates that in 2020, major donors and governments
had procured more than five million of these tests – and that the number should
continue to rise.
“Nigeria, for example, started a pilot programme in 2019 and
is now moving toward implementation at the national scale. As the country plans
to distribute four million in 2022.
“And yet, despite some important gains, global adoption of
dual HIV/syphilis rapid tests in antenatal care is still far from ideal, with
only 23 per cent of all countries reporting a national policy,’’ it stated.
Each year, around 1.3 million women living with HIV become
pregnant and just under one million pregnant women are infected with syphilis.
Despite affordable diagnostics and treatment being
available, undiagnosed and untreated infections continue to affect the lives of
many mothers and their children.
According to WHO, the rapid diagnostic tests are simple to
use and can integrate and streamline services. They also enable more countries
to eliminate Mother-To-Child Transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis.
For Meg Doherty, Director of WHO Global HIV, Hepatitis and
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STI) Programmes, the new pricing is an exciting
development.
“It will help more countries adopt dual HIV/syphilis testing
and accelerate progress toward EMTCT for both HIV and syphilis and deliver
services for key populations, where both infections are common,” she said.
Since 2019, WHO has recommended using these tests not only as the first line in antenatal care to help countries eliminate mother-to-child transmission but also as a way to cut costs. -NAN