SHARP rise in the number of expectant mothers living with HIV marks the need to increase awareness.
At the Labasa Hospital, the numbers jumped from two last year to nine in the first six months of 2010.
Labasa Hospital's paediatric unit head Dr Dennis Buenafe said medical personnel needed to be prepared for a further increase in cases.
Dr Ilisapeci Vereti, a paediatric consultant said six women delivered babies.
"The rise in numbers is a concern because it's only half the year and there are already nine cases compared to the average of just two last year," she said.
"We must clarify that only two mothers have been confirmed HIV positive, while others have had first tests that came out positive.
"But blood taken from there is going through a further battery of tests so we can say they are still in the indeterminate stage."
Medical and community health personnel from around the division attended a week-long training on prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV and related issues.
"We touched on case management, drugs, policies, confidentiality and discussed the HIV Prevention and Treatment Decree," Dr Vereti said.
"We expect more cases to come up and the medical officials need to know the procedures that they need to follow, especially in times of delivering a baby."