(a) whether an Expert Group setting on mother and child health care programme has submitted its report;
(b) if so, the main recommendations made by the Expert Group;
(c) the action taken by the Government thereon; and
(d) the details of AIDS Societies and NGOs involved in this programme?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI A. RAJA)
(a) Report on the Feasibility study of (Zidovudine) AZT intervention to prevent Mother to Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV has been prepared by the National AIDS Control Organisation based on study conducted in 11 centers in the 5 high prevalence States of India namely, Maharashtra (5), Tamil Nadu (3), Andhra Pradesh (1), Karnataka (1), and Manipur (1).
(b) The report recommended that the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), GOI should expand the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) program across the country, and the 11 institutions should act as nodal centers for capacity building in PMTCT programme in the country.
(c) & (d) Government has decided to scale up prevention of mother to child transmission programme in the country in a phased manner. In the first phase of the programme all Medical College hospitals and district hospitals are being covered in 6 high prevalence States namely, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, A.P., Karnataka, Manipur and Nagaland. In the IInd phase of the programme medical college hospitals from low prevalence States will be covered. States AIDS Control Societies will be responsible for implementation of the programme in their respective States in collaboration with NGOs.