The Ministry of Health in Vietnam is calling on pregnant women to take voluntary HIV tests in an effort to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, Saigon Giai Phong reports. Throughout June, antiretroviral drugs, HIV tests and infant formula will be available to pregnant women at 225 sites across the country (6/3). According to a recent survey, 35 percent of HIV-positive pregnant women in Vietnam "are likely to transmit the virus to their newborns unless no appropriate interventions are taken," Nhan Dan reports. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh Trong said, "It's very important to help pregnant mothers access early diagnosis and take timely intervention measures in order to mitigate perinatal HIV transmission" (6/3).

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