Engaging HIV positive ethnic minority mothers in Vietnam.

Maternal and child health (MCH) services are critical for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Throughout Vietnam HIV-positive pregnant women and mothers are increasingly using these services to access HIV care and treatment for themselves and their children. But while ethnic-majority Kinh women use such services frequently use of MCH services among Vietnam’s 53 ethnic minority groups is low (UNFPA 2007). This article discusses the scaling up of a successful PMTCT program based around a support group for HIV-positive mothers by a Dutch international NGO in 2004. Important contributing components to the situation in Vietnam include understanding the IDU epidemic and decline of protective premarital arrangements low HIV awareness low ANC attendance and HIV testing and HIV-positive pregnancies