Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV
Although significantly reduced in developed countries, mother-to-child transmission of HIV causes the majority of childhood HIV cases in the developing world. According to UNICEF, each day 1,800 children worldwide become infected with HIV, primarily through maternal transmission.
A mother infected with HIV has a 30 percent risk of passing the infection on to her baby. Testing is the first step in preventing HIV transmission. To help pregnant women find out their HIV status, Abbott donates rapid HIV tests free of charge to qualifying programs in 69 developing countries, including all of Africa. Rapid testing allows women to learn their status in 15 minutes and increases the opportunity to receive counseling after the test. Local programs can then offer HIV-positive mothers free and convenient therapy to prevent their child from being infected with HIV. Based on feedback from implementing partners, Abbott also has broadened the program to offer free rapid HIV testing to partners and children of women who test HIV positive.
To date, Abbott has donated more than eight million rapid HIV tests to prevention programs throughout the developing world.
Abbott donates the Determine® HIV tests in eligible countries for pregnant women, their spouses and children (18 months and older) of those women who test HIV-positive.
How the Abbott PMTCT Donation Works
Direct Relief International manages the application process on behalf of Abbott and is available for assistance throughout the process.
Once your application form is complete and has been signed and submitted to Direct Relief, it will be reviewed by independent experts. Either your program will be recommended to Abbott to receive the product right away, or additional clarification will be required.
Once your application is approved, Direct Relief will send you a shipping sheet with the exact quantities to be shipped.
To find out if you are eligible, please download and read the instructions.
To apply, please download and complete the application, and either fax to 1-805-681-4838 or e-mail to AbbottPMTCTDonation@DirectRelief.org.
For current recipients requesting a resupply, please download and complete the progress report and send to the above fax or e-mail contact.
To apply to Boehringer Ingelheim Viramune® Donation Programme within the scope of the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV-1, please refer to the following sites: http://www.pmtctdonations.org or http://www.accesstotreatment.org.
Questions? E-mail AbbottPMTCTDonation@DirectRelief.org.