HIV screening for pregnant women emphasised

Screening pregnant women for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as part of the routine antenatal screening programme was recently stressed at a Doha seminar in a bid to prevent the transmission of the virus to newborn babies.

A total of 276 HIV cases have so far been recorded in Qatar with 15 new cases from last year, a senior Supreme Council of Health official said.

The call for screening, which was made at a seminar held for Women’s Hospital physicians to mark the World Aids Day 2013, is part of an effort to maintain the low prevalence of HIV in Qatar through collaboration between the Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Infectious Disease Department and the Supreme Council of Health.

“If we have to target the infection strategically, we have to target prevention at the different stages of pregnancy; before delivery, during delivery, and post-delivery,” HMC Infectious Disease senior consultant Dr Hussam al-Soub told doctors at the seminar.

“Therefore, we now recommend all pregnant ladies to undergo screening because the greater the percentage of women tested means the more are treated and fewer infected infants among the population,” he stressed.

HIV remains a major public health issue with approximately 35mn people living with the infection globally and an additional 2.5mn newly infected each year.

HMC together with the SCH marked World AIDS Day by engaging in discussions to ensure that no stones were left unturned in providing the best possible treatment to people living with HIV in Qatar, and to ensure the prevalence rate in the country remains at a minimum by introducing effective and strategic intervention measures.

HIV is an infection which attacks the CD4 cells that protect the body from infection, eventually causing failure of the immune system.

The infection is most commonly spread through blood in adults and through breast milk to newborn babies. 

“HIV transmission appears to be very limited in Qatar with a low prevalence rate of 0.02%,” Dr Al Mubasher Abu Baker from the SCH said.

He highlighted that the national response to HIV screening supports the World Health Organisation’s slogan of “Treat More Treat Better.”

Among other preventive measures that SCH and HMC have jointly agreed upon is free-of-charge antenatal Hiv screening to be available at HMC’s Women’s Hospital, for all Qatari and non-Qatari pregnant women willing to take the test.

Other speakers at the seminar included Infectious Disease senior consultant Dr Arabo Ibrahim Bayo, who recommended thorough counselling for patients and their families, and Virology Laboratory head and senior consultant Dr Said al-Dhariy, who shared insights on the routine antenatal screening performed at the laboratory.