South Africa Government moves to treat HIV+ mothers (3)
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In voicing his regrets over the recent decision to provide formula
for HIV+ women in South Africa, Ted said:
An expert at WHO told me several months ago that she was shocked when she
visited Botswana--referred to as the other African country implementing
this approach--to find that they are not even following up to find out
what happens to the babies fed on formula. I doubt South AFrica will do so
either. Health care workers' time will be stretched to the limit just to
implement this approach, let alone follow it up to see what effect it is
having.
Does this signal an opportunity of sorts? If Botswana or South Africa
themselves do not have the resources or the will to initiate a sys-
tematic assessment of the impact of formula feeding as compared to
breastfeeding (in all its variants), perhaps some outside agencies
could offer to support such research. After all, much of the debate
that rages on about HIV/AIDS goes on and on only because there are
important questions that have not been researched adequately. Both
those who believe in formula and those who believe in breastfeeding
should be willing to endorse this sort of research. Would any of the
intergovernmental agencies be willing to stop forward at this oppor-
tune to support this much-needed research?
Aloha, George
George Kent, Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Hawai'i
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822
U.S.A.
Tel: +1-808-956-8743
Cell:+1-808-389-9422
Fax: +1-808-956-6877
mailto:kent@hawaii.edu
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~kent
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