Preventing HIV transmission during breastfeeding (Sourced from Cambridge)

Scientists at Cambridge university are trying to combat HIV in a unique and inspiring way as the following link and video show. http://bit.ly/ktKmcM.



The scientist modify nipple shields to accommodate a replaceable insert that contains the magic ingredient of an anti-viral agent that is passed on to the baby whilst the mother is breast feeding. This prevents a HIV infection if a mother is HIV positive. 



 As breast feeding makes up for one third of mother to child transmission of the virus approximately 200,000 babies lives could be changed for ever if this kind of Biotechnology was readily available to Sub-Saharan African's. 



HIV has a lot of negative stipulations in the UK and USA but the figures are staggering for Africans, 22,500,000 Sub-Saharan Africans are estimated to currently be HIV positive and the number only grows and grows. The sad fact about HIV and any other sexually transmitted infection is that without a cure the spread and growth of the virus is expotentional. It is simple the more people in a community which are HIV+ the higher the chances of contracting it per individual, and this trend only ends two ways, either a vaccination is found and HIV dies out completely, or just more and more people become HIV+ until populations in the world have higher % of people with HIV than without. This only begins to express the importance of any development in the flight against HIV. And cures are not the only way to suppress the virus as the scientists at Cambridge show. 



The exciting feat with the development of the nipple shield and insert is that, numerous vaccinations could be delivered in the same way to the infants. It is staggering image the amount of lives simple price of Biotechnology worth less that 1p an insert can achieve. 



The future looks promising for advances in the health care of the masses in 3rd world countries and with many dedicated researchers and altruistic professionals trying to combat illness and disease in places where there is simply not the money for the countries to do this themselves. I will finish on the note that complex Biotechnology is not the only way 3rd world healthcare can be improved, simply education, is the best way to immediately effect peoples lives. For example mothers breast feeding their children may simply be oblivious to that fact that there baby could too contract HIV. Education is the mother of all development.