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This community based study among young women explored perception of risk and demand for VCT and PMTCT. Knowledge about condom use as a means to prevent HIV was very low and nearly two-thirds of the women were unaware that a person can have HIV without symptoms. The majority of women perceived themselves as to be at some risk of HIV infection. A lack of trust in a male partner, and partner s promiscuity were the most common reasons given for perceived high personal risk. Women believed that a woman would go for HIV testing if she felt to be at risk. Women correctly understood that their own and their partner s risk was bound together but believed that a woman could not disclose her seropositive status to her partner. This underlines the importance of male involvement in a PMTCT program because temporary migration from Nouna District to the Ivory Coast is not uncommon and polygamy is legally possible and practiced. The elevated perceived willingness to participate in a VCT/PMTCT program if provided with anti retro viral therapy (ART) indicates that a successful program needs to be actually beneficial to the participants.

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Malabika Sarker is a medical doctor from Bangladesh and holds a Masters of Public Health degree from Harvard University,USA as well as a Doctorate degree from University of Heidelberg, Germany. Her specialization lies in Maternal Health and HIV/AIDS research in the African and Asian countries.

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