South Africa's scheme has helped to save about 117,000 babies from contracting HIV infection from their mothers last year.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told a news conference that the reduction proved the success of the government's program which gives pregnant women drugs that reduce the chance of their babies catching the virus.
"These results, if sustained, will make a major contribution to our efforts to decrease" deaths of infants and young children, Motsoaledi said.
He added that the anti-retroviral drugs also make it safe for HIV-positive mothers to breast feed their babies.
The medicines reduce the viral load in a mother's body, which in turn reduces the infant's risk of contracting HIV through the umbilical chord or by exposure to the mother's bodily fluids during childbirth or breast feeding.
The newborn also gets a few drops of ARV syrup as an extra boost to fight infection.
Advertisement
Source-AFP