South Africa: Updated PMTCT guidelines still lag behind international standards

The South African Department of Health this week published new guidelines for prevention of mother to child transmission in South Africa. However activists and doctors say they still leave South Africa out of step with poorer and less well resourced nations. South Africa will not adopt the regimen described as `more efficacious` by World Health Organization guidelines issued in August 2006 - seven days of AZT and 3TC for mothers after single dose nevirapine at the time of delivery – but instead use AZT alone for the infant - but not the mother - in the week after delivery.