PMTCT Media Brief for Swaziland

Published by Panos Institute Southern Africa, this media brief on the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) has been developed to provide journalists with necessary information on the programme in Swaziland. According to the brief, PMTCT is one of the national priority biomedical strategies for HIV prevention, with a special focus on ensuring that fewer infants are exposed to or infected with HIV from their infected mothers. The brief is designed to assist journalists to be able to report on PMTCT from an informed point of view, thereby empowering the communities, families, and especially mothers with knowledge on the benefits of PMTCT; reducing the HIV infection risks for the HIV negative sexually active population; and reducting HIV incidence among babies born to HIV infected mothers.

The brief includes the following chapters:

• Chapter 1: Country profile: General demographics, politics and social climate
• Chapter 2: Epidemiological situation and spread of HIV and AIDS in Swaziland
• Chapter 3: Drivers of HIV and AIDS
• Chapter 4: HIV prevention strategies
• Chapter 5: Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT)
• Chapter 6: HIV testing and counselling
• Chapter 7: Some challenges in the PMTCT process
• Chapter 8: Conclusion and recommendations