An Assessment of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV Services in Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Transmission of HIV from mother to child continues to be the major source of HIV infection among children under the age of fifteen. Therefore, targeting pregnant women attending antenatal clinics provides a unique opportunity for the implementation of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) intervention program against HIV infection of new-born babies. This study was aimed at assessing the Mother to Child Transmission of HIV intervention and the follow up of exposed infant HIV testing in nine selected health facilities in Gombe state between January 2016 and December 2016. The methodology used was a non-experimental descriptive study that combined hospital record review and structured questionnaire to collect relevant data. A cross-sectional retrospective evaluation of women enrolled in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV programme at facilities supported by an indigenous partner (Centre for Integrated Health Program - CIHP), was carried out. In addition, structured questionnaires were served on 498 ANC attendees and service providers, selected by consecutive sampling method. Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS version 21. The study showed that there was adequate coverage with PMTCT services in the study area as all the respondents affirmed to accessing all expected services in all the facilities. Pregnancy was found to be an automatic indicator (469, 94.2%) for HIV test and therefore ANC served as a critical window for the provision of PMTCT services. Mother-to-child transmission remained a major route of HIV transmission in children with 12 (2.4%) cases of HIV in infants at 6weeks DNA PCR test and 5 (1.0%) cases of HIV-positive in children after the Rapid test at 18 months. Hence, it is recommended that there should be a scale-up of the programme, pre-natal sensitization of women, baby positioning and attachment for safe and effective breastfeeding, ensuring prompt (within 28 days) availability of DNA/PCR test results and adopting consensus method for the assessment of PMTCT.