8 Sep 2005

Hopes new HIV drugs piloted in Fiji will protect new-borns from condition

4:24 pm on 8 September 2005

Health officials in Fiji hope that next week's HIV test on a baby born to HIV positive parents will be negative after the mother took part in a pilot drugs project.

Before the drugs were introduced in 2002, thirteen babies who were born to mothers with HIV tested positive for the disease and at least nine of those babies have since died.

The HIV/Aids Project Officer for the Ministry of Health, Dr Jiko Luveni, says only one other mother has trialled the drugs and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl 18 months ago.

She says although they are advising HIV positive women of the risks involved in having children, this one hiv negative case has given women cause to hope.

"We've continued to tell positive women that this is what is going to happen to your babies if you decide to have a baby but because of this baby that was born in January of last year and is negative up to now, it seems to have given hope to other mothers, positive women, who want to have babies that they may give birth to a negative baby."

The HIV/Aids Project Officer for the Ministry of Health, Dr Jiko Luveni.