Guidelines for the management of HIV-infected children (National Department of Health, South Africa, 2005): A summary of antiretroviral treatment guidelines
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2005
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Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
National guidelines for the management of HIV-infected children in South Africa have been developed as a consensus document by practising HIV clinicians around the country. Guidelines for antiretroviral (ARV) management of children appear in a booklet distributed by the National Department of Health (DoH) since mid-2004 (National Antiretroviral Treatment Programme Guideline for Carers, National Department of Health, South Africa, 2004). A comprehensive booklet on management of HIV-infected children has also been produced for the DoH which includes recommendations on management with antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. The South African national paediatric guidelines are based on the recommendations provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Scaling up antiretroviral therapy in resource limited settings; treatment guidelines for a public health approach WHO 2003). It is important to note that WHO are updating their recommendations. Based on this some amendments, e.g. the staging system, have already been incorporated into the final version of the South African national guidelines. Other recommendations are more recent and have yet to undergo broader review. These have therefore not formed part of the printed version of the South African guidelines. It is anticipated that a process of updating the guidelines needs to be put in place urgently. The national guidelines are available on the government website (www.health.gov.za), and clinicians are advised to update themselves regularly at this website for any amendments that may be made to the guidelines.
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Meyers, T., & Eley, B. (2005). Guidelines for the management of HIV-infected children (National Department of Health, South Africa 2005). Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine, 2005(21), 33-37.