United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has backed Nigeria to achieve zero infected babies for HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphillis.
It noted while deaths of babies due to vaccine preventable infections in developed nations are declining, many babies born in Africa die from diseases that are vaccine-prevented and treatable.
The centre also said besides support for end mother-to-child-transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis, it will aid adolescents and young adults adversely and disproportionately more affected.
Speaking during a roundtable in Abuja, Country Director, Dr. Mary Boyd, said: “In Nigeria, the drivers of mortality remain primarily infections. Many of these are preventable and/or treatable. Second is neonatal disorders. If you look at the babies with neonatal disorders, some of them are due to vaccine preventable diseases in their mothers. We must support the mother and baby to do well with regards to infections.
National Coordinator of National AIDS and STDs Control Programme, Dr. Bashorun Adebobola, said: “There is a link between antenatal care attendance and Prevention of Mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. We are also expanding this to Hepatitis B and Syphilis to achieve zero transmission of these diseases to babies.
“Nigerian is committed to ensuring women attend antenatal care clinics. This will help to ensure there is no infection transferred to children from mothers. We are focusing on community-centred interventions to ensure women attend antenatal and postnatal care in health care centres.”
