United Nations Radio

On the eve of World AIDS Day, December 1st, the World Health Organization has revised its recommendations for treatment of HIV/AIDS.

HIV positive mother with infant

Based on the latest scientific evidence, WHO now recommends earlier initiation of antiretroviral therapy, regardless of whether patients show symptoms, and use of less toxic antiretroviral drugs.

The agency also for the first time recommends that HIV-positive mothers or their infants take ARVs, while breastfeeding to prevent HIV transmission. Dr. Nigel Rollins, a specialist on child and adolescent heath at WHO says this is a major breakthrough, because it reduces the risk of HIV transmission to the baby to 5% or lower, while giving it the protective benefits of breastfeeding.

"This is a very, very major advance and allows children to breastfeed almost completely safely, which means that they also are protected from other causes of infant mortality, such as diarrhea or malnutrition, by being able to breastfeed."

WHO says the main challenge to implementing its recommendations lies in increasing the availability of treatment in poor countries. Another challenge is in encouraging more people to receive voluntary HIV testing and counseling before they have symptoms.

The agency will provide technical support to countries to adopt the revised guidelines. Implemented on a wide scale, WHO says its new recommendations will improve the health of people living with HIV, reduce the number of new HIV infections and save lives.

Bissera Kostova, United Nations Radio
(duration: 1'37)