992 pregnant women take HIV test

Kumasi, Sept 25, GNA - About 992 pregnant women have undergone Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) on HIV/AIDS at the Kumasi South Hospital.

Mrs Vivian Addo-Cobbiah, the Senior Resident Midwife, said this showed an increase from last year's figure of 297 pregnant women who had the VCT.

She attributed the increase to the intensive education like "Daddy's Forum" which brings couples in the hospital's catchments area together to be educated on reproductive health issues.

Mrs Addo-Cobbiah said this at the second ''Daddy's Forum'' organized by the Kumasi South Hospital at Kyirapatre at the weekend with the theme, "Male Involvement in Reproductive Health".

She said male involvement in sensitising women on reproductive health was very vital since it enhanced communication and understanding between couples on the number of children they should have and other health related issues such as birth preparedness and HIV/AIDS. Mrs Addo-Cobbiah said since the introduction of the ''Daddy's Forum''a few years ago, men who accompany their wives to hospital during delivery or men taking their babies to antenatal clinic had increased tremendously and commended the men for their support.

Dr Robert Tagoe, a gynaecologist at the hospital, said the hospital had started administering the anti-retroviral drugs to pregnant women to protect their unborn babies from contracting HIV/AIDS should their mothers test HIV positive.