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PRIORITYMEASURE39
“Strengthenmeasures for detection of HIV/AIDSand other sexually transmitted infections inpregnant women and for prevention
of the vertical transmission of the virus.”
Possible lines of action
1. Ensure that sexual and reproductive health care includesmeasures for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeedingwomen to be apprised of
their HIV/AIDS and STI status and have access to preventive measures and treatment during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum
depending on the time of diagnosis; 2. Earmark the necessary funding for the functioning of sexual and productive health programmes
and services targeted at pregnant women for the early diagnosis ofHIV/AIDS and to guarantee adequate antiretroviral therapy inorder to
avoid vertical transmission; 3. Develop intersectoral strategies; 4. Provide timely care for pregnant women, including prenatal checkups;
5. Guarantee diagnostic serviceswith counsellingbefore and after testing.
Targets
1. All womenwho are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, orwho are postpartum or breastfeeding, have access to diagnostic screening and
are aware of their HIV status in the first trimester of gestation; 2. All pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women living with HIV
receive treatment; 3. Reduce to zero the incidence ofHIV in newborns; 4. Zeromaternal deaths fromHIV; 5. All women livingwithHIV
have access to information on their sexual and reproductive health and their sexual and reproductive rights.
Tentative indicators
1. Percentage of pregnant women who have access to diagnostic screening and know their HIV status; 2. Percentage of pregnant,
postpartum and breastfeedingwomen livingwithHIV receive treatment and preventive guidance on vertical transmission; 3. Incidence of
HIV in newborns (number of new cases per year); 4. Number ofmaternal deaths fromHIV; 5. Percentage ofwomen livingwithHIV and
planning a pregnancywhohave access tomeasure to prevent transmission of the virus, includingvertical transmission.
Related instruments,
forums andmechanisms
1. SDG 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”; target 3.3. By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS ... and
other communicable diseases; 2. Santo Domingo Consensus: C72. “
Ensure that the financial resources for HIV/AIDS prevention are
allocated to specific measures grounded in scientific evidence that reflects the particular characteristics of the epidemic in each
country, with special attention to geographical location, social networks and populations that are vulnerable toHIV infection, with a
view to ensuring that those resources are employed as effectively as possible.
”C73: “
Ensure comprehensive care for persons affected
by HIV/AIDS, in particular women, girls, adolescents, young persons, orphans and vulnerable children, migrants and people in
humanitarian emergencies, detained women, indigenous populations, Afro-descendants and women with disabilities
;” 3. Brasilia
Consensus, 6e: “
Ensure also universal access by women in their diversity to comprehensive, high-quality sexual and reproductive
health care, including care for human immuno-deficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), its prevention,
diagnosis and free treatment, and especially, to carry out campaigns to promote the use of the male and female condoms
;” 4. Quito
Consensus (xxv):
“[I]implement measures and policies that take into account the linkages between social and economic
vulnerabilities as they relate to women’s possibilities of participating in politics and in paid work, especially in terms of access to
sexual and reproductive health care, water and sanitation, andHIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care, with priority being placed
on the poorest women and their families.
”
Comment
This priority measure is complementary to PM 38 on HIV, which applies to the population in general, promotes prevention and timely
detection anduniversal access to comprehensive treatment forHIV/AIDS andSTI, and toPM 37 on universal access toSRH.
