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Factors Influencing The Utilization Of Prevention Of Mother–to-child Transmission (pmctc) Services Among Pregnant Women Attending Clinic
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Combs (2013) found that MTCT knowledge was incomplete, as those
interviewed stated that all mothers transmit HIV to their babies through
breast feeding. Mothers lack information on the prevention of
transmitting of HIV from an infected mother to her child, as well as
measures that exist to reduce the risk of transmission. Combs (2013)
concluded that health care workers needed additional MTCT training and
support materials to enable them to provide counseling, appropriate
information and advice to clients about HIV and breastfeeding options.
HIV
in children is a major problem in developing or resources poor
countries. About 277,000 children live with HIV representing 11% of the
global pediatric HIV burden in Nigeria. Also over 65,000 to 117,000 of
HIV infected children are delivered annually. About 8% of child
mortality is related to HIV infection. This is a result of failed
implementation Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) (FMOH,
2013). In Chiroma Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa
State, the prevalence of HIV infection in pregnant women is estimated at
24,620, up to 1868 (1.04% statistically insignificant) received
antiretroviral for prophylaxis.
There were 3,328 (1.86%) HIV positive
pregnant women receiving infant feeding counseling and support (Federal
Ministry of Health, 2012). This reversing the recent gains of child
survival programme thereby increasing infant and child mortality rates.
Defaulting hospital appointments can be attributed to so many factors,
such as: finance, unsatisfactory quality of service, transportation etc.
Thus it is important to carry out this study so as to unveil the
quality of services offered by PMTCT clinic as perceived by clients
attending the services which will go along way to reducing the incidence
of HIV/AIDS in Chiroma Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa
State.
Understanding clients perspectives would also help to know
whether the services are being delivered in accordance with their needs
and if not then the need to improvement.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The
burden of HIV infection has now become a burning issue word wide
divide. An estimated million people are now living with the virus on
planet earth with 2,000 babies getting infected daily. Majority of all
new infections in diverse setting have helped reduce the HIV infections
rate. The national HIV zero prevalence has proven that the infection
does yield to determined and connected intervention.
Worldwide,
approximately 2.2 million women and 600,000 infants are infected with
HIV each year (UNAIDS, 2012). Since the first pediatric AIDS case was
documented in 1985, the number of infected children has increased
markedly, and the health care for these children is becoming an
increasing burden on the public health system (Philips, 2013). As a
result, PMTCT programme was initiated. PMTCT exist in different parts of
the world including Nigeria. The services which include VC, HIV
testing, ART, obstetric intervention (cesarean section) and safer infant
feeding (Abrams, 2014) are available in different parts of the world.
Johnson
(2014) maintained that successful implementation of PMTCT programme for
a larger number of women are feasible if the health system has adequate
resources and personnel. This implies that availability and adequate
utilization of the services will reduce or eliminate the risk of MTCT of
HIV. Unfortunately, literature has shown that several factors impede
the availability and utilization of PMTCT. By implication, one may be
tempted to doubt the availability and adequacy of PMTCT resources and
the level of utilization of these services by pregnant women. Skinner
(2015) found out that several clinics that provide the services to the
local population were already unstaffed and over-pressured. But it is an
accepted fact that availability and adequacy of resources are important
in the utilization of PMTCT services.
Nigeria’s 2005 HIV
zero-prevalence rate of 4.4% through an improvement over the 2003 rate
us still too high and unacceptable. During the year 2004 in Nigeria
alone about 100,000 babies were likely to contract HIV from their
mothers (UNAIDS, 2011).
The PMTCT intervention remains the only sure
and feasible hope in the problems of early infant HIV diagnosis.
Therefore, to lay much emphasis on prevention rather than care and
treatment, in a nutshell the greatest unmet need remains the PMTCT of
HIV (UNAID, 2011).
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the
study is to assess the Factors influencing the Utilization of
Prevention of Mother–To-Child Transmission (PMCTC) Services among
Pregnant Women attending Clinic at Chiroma Ward in Lafia Local
Government Area of Nasarawa State. Specifically, it seeks to:
(1)
Determine the progressive level or implementation of PMTCT at Chiroma
Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
(2) Identify the number of available skilled manpower for the implementation of PMTCT.
(3)
Identify the number of clients patronage at the PMTCT services at
Chiroma Ward in Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
(4) Determine the Factors affecting PMTCT of HIV and AIDS services.
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