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Knowledge and Practices of PMTCT among Health Care Providers in Private Hospital in Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Introduction: In the developed countries where mother to child transmission of the virus is still high preventing MTCT is essential and starts during the antepartum period where diagnosis can be made and
antiretrovirals and other prevention strategies can be instituted. A significant proportion of Maternity care and delivery services are rendered by private hospitals. Adequate knowledge by health care providers of
antiretroviral use and other PMTCT strategies will be required to ensure control of vertical transmission of the virus.
Objective: To assess the knowledge and practice of PMTCT among health care providers in private health facilities in Ilorin, Nigeria.
Method: This is a review of health care providers in private health facilities Ilorin, Nigeria, between December2011 and November2012. Information on biodata, general knowledge on HIV and PMTCT and practices done to prevent vertical transmission were collected with use of questionnaires and were analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 17.
Result: 265 questionnaires were applied but 223 were complete and analyzed. Their age range was 20-62years; mean age was 32.45+7.0SDyrs and Mean working experience was 5.89+5.17SD yrs. Nurses constituted the greater percentage 64.1% of the health care providers. Knowledge that vertical transmission could be prevented was good (95.5%), however 15.2% felt HIV could be transmitted through sharing of spoon or eating together. Only 20% had training in PMTCT and 17% worked in health facilities where ARV was administered to HIV positive pregnant women. A larger number 72% referred the HIV positive women to other centres for antenatal care and delivery. Antiretroviral drugs administered to the mothers were, 42.1% administered single drug ARV therapy, 21.1% gave 2 ARV drugs which is not in any standard protocol while only 5.3% administered 3 ARV drugs. Prophylactic ARV administration to the babies also revealed deficiencies.
Conclusion: Knowledge and practice of PMTCT among health care providers in private sectors was poor. There were no clear cut guidelines for antiretroviral drug administration for mothers and babies. Training and retraining on PMTCT should be encouraged.
Keywords: Knowledge, Practice, health care provider, PMTCT
