Utilization pattern of material health services in the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

Abstract

Though prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS was introduced in Nigeria in 2002, it is pertinent to determine its availability in the primary health centers, which provide the most available, accessible and affordable maternal health services to 70% of Nigerian women. This retrospective study was carried out to determine the utilization pattern of maternal health services in Nigeria, noting the availability of PMTCT. Records of antenatal bookings, deliveries, postnatal visits, voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and PMTCT were obtained from 30  randomly selected primary health centers in Edo Central Senatorial District of Nigeria and analyzed. The results  showed that though a yearly average of 2719 women booked in the antenatal clinics of the selected primary health centers, and 50.57% of these women delivered in these centers between 2007 and 2010, neither VCT nor PMTCT was available. It is therefore suggested that all tiers of government in Nigeria and donors, should include Primary health centers in their distribution channels in order to reduce the scourge of HIV/AIDS on innocent children.

Keywords: Maternal Health, Utilization, VCT, PMTCT, Nigeria