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Determine® Donation

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Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV causes the majority of childhood HIV cases in the developing world. According to UNICEF, each day 1,000 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. But with proper care and treatment, this risk can be dramatically reduced. HIV testing is the first step in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The Determine® Donation Program offers rapid HIV tests free of charge to qualifying programs in 69 developing countries, including all of Africa. With only 28 percent of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa receiving an HIV test in 2008, the Determine Donation Program is working to eliminate barriers to the testing of pregnant women, their spouses and children, in countries where mothers and their children face the biggest threat.

The rapid test is quick—results take 15 minutes—and requires no electricity or water, making it ideal for areas that may lack steady access to either resource. If a pregnant woman tests positive for HIV, the healthcare provider can take the necessary steps to help prevent the baby from being infected with the virus.

Since 2002, Abbott has donated more than 14 million rapid HIV tests to prevention programs throughout the developing world.

 

How the Determine® Donation Works

The donation program is managed by Direct Relief International, a US-based non-profit organization that provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people affected by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and throughout the world. Direct Relief is available to respond to any program inquiries and to provide guidance on the application process.

For current recipients requesting a resupply of Determine® tests, please complete the progress report. 

For any additional questions, please contact the Determine Donation Project Manager at DetermineDonation@directrelief.org or +27 (11) 351 1287

Links 

PMTCTDonations.org 

AccessToTreatment.org 

Downloads 

Progress Report and Order Form
[English | French]

“I just wanted to write a short note of personal thankfulness for the way you are continuing to supply the Koutiala Hospital for Women and Children with free HIV rapid screen tests for our pregnant ladies.  It has greatly increased our level of care and is no doubt reducing mother to child transmission, as we are implementing the testing nearly across the board.  We treat with antenatal ARVs as well as intrapartum triple therapy, and post partum coverage for both mom and baby!  We have been amazed that nearly all of our pregnant moms choose to have the test after counseling assures them that it is truly voluntary, private, and potentially capable of saving their child from HIV infection, by allowing us to give ARVs to those at risk.

Our hospital was recently awarded the CIWARA D’OR - the highest Malian government award for quality - for our HIV screening of pregnant mothers. This honor was made possible by your company’s gracious donation of test strips. It was a great joy to see the pride our nurses exhibited when this award was presented. They were beaming. On behalf of the staff as well as the women and children of Koutiala, thank you for your generous donation. It is really changing lives. ”

—Dr. Nesselraode, the Medical Director at L’Hopital les Femmes et les Enfants in Mali