Nairobi — Kenya's health sector has been facing significant challenges, ranging from a shortage of health care providers to a series of labor strikes. The problems have not only disrupted health services, but have HIV experts divided on whether to roll out Option B+ nationwide or just to pilot it in high volume facilities such as major referral hospitals. Option B+ is the latest treatment option recommended by the World Health Organisation for HIV positive mothers.
In the earlier Options A and B, mother and baby were given antiretrovirals (ARVs) during pregnancy and breastfeeding; only women with CD4 counts under 350 were prescribed ARVs for life. CD4s, or helper cells, fight infections in the body.
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