Actualités of Thursday, 23 October 2014

Source: Le Messager

New HIV / AIDS treatment tested in the North West

The new HIV/AIDS treatment known as the formula "B +" is under experimentation by the U.S. State Department in the North West region. Medical sources argue that the option "B +" is compatible with all patients.

Not less than 330 thousand children were infected with HIV/AIDS in 2011 in Africa. 90% was as a result of mother to child transmission. These statistics were brought forward by Dr. Ndiforchu Victor, regional delegate of public health for the North West.

The same source indicates that this rate of infection can be reduced to less than 5%. These data were made public on 15th October 2014, at the launch of the campaign of generalization and popularization of the treatment of HIV/AIDS Option "B +" in the North West region. An initiative from the Health Department of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (Cbc Health Service) in partnership with CDC/Pepfar, the US State Department.

Professor Tih Pius, Director of CBC HS, explains to this effect stating that "we will move from option A which was a simple therapy to option "B +" which is a lifelong treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women with HIV".

The same source hoped that "under this Option, this treatment will reduce the transmission from mother to child today at 10% to less than 2%." A treatment that has outlived its usefulness in a reduced transmission of 30-40%.

However, to deplore the practitioners, nevirapine has had the effect, the development of resistance. In medicine, the approaches vary based on evidence and research. Option A discovered in 2004 was administered by the 14th week instead of the 28th week as was the case with Nevirapine. Then option B was discovered in the years 2009 and 2010-2011 which is a triple therapy (Zidovudine, Nevirapine and Duovir) single dose. This option "B +" is a treatment for life for pregnant and lactating women.

This reduces the risk of contamination from the mother to the child by about 2%. She lives long enough to take care of the child and her family.

At the national level, this option simplifies the supply system; the same therapy will be now applied to pregnant and lactating women and other carriers of HIV-AIDS. The simplification of the staff training is another advantage that goes with this innovation.