Apenisa Waqairadovu 
Consultant Pediatrician at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Dr. Priya Kaur says that health literacy makes a lot of difference when it comes to HIV.
She says antiretroviral therapy plays a key role in ensuring children are not exposed to unnecessary risks, in the wake of revelations of 19 new cases of children living with HIV in the Central Division so far this year.
Dr. Kaur says there are different factors at play that could result in children becoming HIV positive, but she also emphasized that mother-to-child transmission is preventable.
She says a HIV-positive woman can avoid transmission if she adheres to taking the antiretroviral medication.
She adds that the risk of passing the virus after taking the medication, is significantly reduced from 45 percent to as low as three or one percent.
Dr. Kaur adds that breastfeeding or bottle feeding does not make a difference if medication is taken as directed.
She says anyone living with the virus can live a normal, healthy life through medication, and says that medication for children is also available.
