5. BARBARA STEWART (NZ First) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
Has he been informed that antenatal HIV testing, now available to pregnant women in the Waikato, has already resulted in the discovery of one pregnant woman with HIV who is now undergoing treatment that will prevent her baby from being born with HIV, and what is his ministry doing to ensure that such testing is available to all pregnant women as soon as possible?
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Associate Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes, I have been informed that the value of the antenatal HIV screening has already been demonstrated in the Waikato. All 21 district health boards are expected to have the screening programme in place by June 2008, although a great deal of work is required to make this happen.
Is it correct that information on the HIV screening programme has been sent to every district health board, but that the boards have not been directed to start offering the tests; if so, why is such testing not considered a national priority?
The member is correct; all district health boards were contacted in January about implementation of the screening programme. Although I understand the desire to have the programme implemented as soon as possible, recent experience in New Zealand and internationally has shown us that we need to be mindful of the requirements of a successful national screening programme, which are that it does not cause more harm than good.
Sue MoroneyWhat provisions are in place so that women who are at a high risk for HIV can be tested even before the screening programme is fully implemented?
Any woman who believes she might be HIV positive, or whose general practitioner or midwife believes she might be HIV positive, can get free tests today. In fact, any New Zealander who feels that he or she might have been exposed to HIV can have access to testing today.
Dr Jackie BlueRather than creating a bureaucratic antenatal HIV screening programme, why does the Government not add the HIV blood test request alongside other routinely requested antenatal blood tests, such as for syphilis, the rationale and explanation of the tests being that they are part of the routine pregnancy consultation between the woman and her maternity provider—that is, part of best clinical practice?
As with HIV screening, which can be accessed today by any woman who believes she might be HIV positive, a woman also has access to any other test she believes she might need to undergo.
Is the Ministry of Health aware of a new HIV test that can produce a result in 20 minutes, and will it be encouraging the district health boards to make use of this test for antenatal HIV testing?
Yes, I am aware that the New Zealand AIDS Foundation has started a pilot programme in Auckland with the 20-minute test, the first of its kind in Australasia. It hopes to expand the programme to Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch next year. This is a very exciting development that will be watched closely by district health boards and the Ministry of Health.