Family Health Bureau Ministry of Health
Overall goal: To ensure that congenital syphilis is no longer a public health problem ď ˝
Specific goal: To prevent transmission of syphilis from mother to child and thereby reduce the incidence of congenital syphilis ď ˝
Early initiation of ANC and universal screening of all pregnant women, and prompt treatment of all seropositive women Treatment of partners of seropositive women, promotion of condom use, and education and counseling to prevent infection/ reinfection Prophylactic treatment of all infants born to seropositive women
Ensure advocacy and political commitment for a successful health initiative Increase access to and quality of maternal and newborn health services Screen and treat all seropositive pregnant women and their partners Establish surveillance, monitoring and evaluation system
Anti VD campaign (Now NSACP) was established in 1952 and antenatal screening for syphilis became a formalized intervention (This intervention was there even before) and integrated into MCH services Antenatal screening for syphilis – 99.3% (FHB 2012) Percentage of pregnant women registered for antenatal care before 12 weeks – 93.5% (FHB 2012) Percentage screened from the government sector- 57% Others from the private sector. Quality of the testing is an issue
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Information of syphilis screening of pregnant women includes in routine HIMS Routinely monitor the coverage of syphilis screening at national and district levels
Routine ANC visit
Back referral to MOH/ VOG
Collect blood for syphilis screening
Management at STD clinic MOH refer seropositive women to STD clinic
Blood testing at STD clinics/Hospitals Inform about seropositive women to MOH
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Team comprise of officers from FHB and NSACP the meeting held in New Delhi in 2009 Decide to adhere to the WHO/UNICEF proposed 4 pronged strategy for further strengthening the program
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NSACP and FHB Developed the strategy for elimination of congenital syphilis in Sri Lanka
Hand book on “Prevention of mother to child transmission of syphilis infection� for PHC staff available in all three languages
IEC Material - Ceiling Banners
Information on the importance of antenatal screening for syphilis and VDRL test
Strengthening M&E by incorporating more information on syphilis screening to routine MIS (POA, place of testing, date of result, date of referral etc.) and pregnancy record Monitoring of progress through annual MCH reviews Motivating MOH and MO-MCH in increasing the syphilis screening coverage from the government sector
Thank you‌