Incident of Mother to Child HIV Transmission (MTCT) in Regional Health 10, Thailand, Fiscal Years 2016-2021

Abstract

Thailand is ongoing to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) with effective interventions during the periods of pregnancy, labor and newborn antiretroviral regimens administered. In 2016, Thailand could reduce MTCT to 1.90% and received validation from the World Health Organization (WHO) for having eliminated MTCT of HIV and syphilis. The objective of this study was to investigate the situation and surveillance of MTCT rate in Regional Health 10 of Thailand. Altogether 1,653 newborn blood samples were collected from hospital in the Region during the years 2016 - 2021, and tested with HIV DNA PCR assay. The results showed that the numbers of male and female samples were similar. The overall positive results were 1.10%. The highest positive result was found in 2019 (3.9%), and the lowest positive results were found in 2016 and 2018. The province with highest positive result was Amnat Chareon (3.60%) followed by Yasothon (2.60%). This study shown that positive cases of MTCT were still observed. Thus, it is essential for health personnel to monitor and conduct surveillance to maintain MTCT elimination in Thailand in order to reach the target of 3 zeros: “No infected, No dead, No stigma” to support WHO’s campaign to End inequalities, End AIDS, End pandemics in 2030.