AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #365 - Challenges faced by health workers in implementing the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programme in Uganda
Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Esther Naluwooza - Makerere University
Additional Authors: Ms Esther Naluwooza,
Aim: Major aim of the study was to Challenges faced by health workers in implementing the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) program in Uganda.
Method / Issue: Interviews were conducted with 15 key informants including counselors, obstetricians and PMTCT coordinators at the five PMTCT test sites in Uganda to investigate the benefits, challenges and sustainability of the PMTCT programme. Audio-taped interviews were held with each informant between January and June 2003. These were transcribed verbatim and manually analyzed using the framework approach.
Results / Comments: The perceived benefits reported by informants were improvement of general obstetric care, provision of antiretroviral prophylaxis for HIV-positive mothers, staff training and community awareness. The main challenges lay in the reluctance of women to be tested for HIV, incomplete follow-up of participants, non-disclosure of HIV status and difficulties with infant feeding for HIV-positive mothers. Key informants thought that the programmer's sustainability depended on maintaining staff morale and numbers, on improving services and providing more resources, particularly antiretroviral therapy for the HIV-positive women and their families.
Discussion: Uganda's experience in piloting the PMTCT programme reflected the many challenges faced by health workers. Potentially resource-sparing strategies such as the ‘opt-out’ approach to HIV testing required further evaluation
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