Abstract:

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in newborns is one of the leading causes of infant mortality globally and accounted for about 1.8million childhood deaths in 2010. Despite international interventions aimed at reducing pediatric infections at antenatal clinic entry points, however, there is still limited access and utilization of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services resulting in low target coverage due to obstacles existing at facility, community and state levels. Anambra State still records a low patronage of PMTCT interventions by pregnant mothers.

Objective:  This study was carried out to determine the factors affecting prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV programs in university teaching hospitals in Anambra state, Nigeria qualitatively.

Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 128 randomly selected HIV positive pregnant women attending antenatal care clinics and service providers of two purposively selected teaching hospitals in Anambra state, Nigeria. Qualitative data were obtained through focus group discussions and key in-depth informant interviews. Data analysis was carried out using NVivo version 9 qualitative data analysis Software.

Results: The findings of this work show that ninety-nine percent (99%) of the study participants knew that HIV was a deadly virus transmitted through sex and other blood contact routes. Seventy six percent (76%) of the participants knew that HIV could be transmitted from mother to child, while about 53% of them knew the major ways of MTCT of HIV. The participants that did not know how HIV could be passed from mother to child were 41%. Others factors are lack of awareness and knowledge about HCT, late presentation at ANC clinics, low numbers of PMTCT centers within locality of respondents, poor involvement of male partners/spouses and stigma were the main reasons cited for poor utilization of PMTCT programs in the state.

Conclusion: The study highlights a referral linkage of traditional birth attendants to health facilities for PMTCT interventions in the state to have profound impact on the health of the mother, child and nation at large.

Keywords: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT), HIV counselling and testing, Antenatal Care.

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