Debate over whether HIV program would work elsewhere
A successful program to protect the unborn babies of HIV-infected mothers in Western Australia could be used worldwide, according to an expert in public health.
A West Australian team of HIV experts has reported a 100 per cent success rate in stopping the transmission of the disease between women receiving treatment and their unborn children over the last 14 years.
Much of the success has been attributed to a state-wide service which goes into remote parts of the state to treat women infected with HIV during their pregnancy, and their children for a month after birth.
Curtin University's Professor Mike Daube says WA is a world leader in this field.
" Although the circumstances are different I think there are real lessons that can be learned from this Western Australian program that could have very important implications for Africa and countries around the world," he said.
However, the Executive Director of the WA Aids Council says she's not sure the program would work in other countries.
Trish Langdon says while the program has been a success in Western Australia, the logistics of implementing it in other countries could be difficult.
" Even though we're a big state there's a relatively small number of people who work in the area and so everybody tends to get on very well, they tend to communicate so that's really the main thing," she said.
"But ... I can't say whether you can absolutely replicate it in a resource poor country."
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