Assessment of Opportunities and Challenges towards the Implementation of PMTCT Guideline in Public Hospitals of Addis Ababa City Government
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Interventions to PMTCT are commonly recommended strategies to prevent HIV transmission from mothers to their babies. Ethiopia has started the PMTCT intervention programs since the late 1990s. Although the coordinated efforts against HIV/AIDS helps Ethiopia to reduce national prevalence among adults to 1.5%, the performance of PMTCT programs so far was as low to 28% in 2013. The Ministry of Health revised the 2007 guideline in 2011 to facilitate an accelerated implementation of the program. The objective of this study, therefore, was to assess the status and associated opportunities and challenges in the implementation of the 2011 PMTCT guideline in public hospitals run by the Health Bureau of Addis Ababa City Government. Qualitative approach based on key informant interview and checklists was employed. Thematic data analysis from the raw data was carried out. Findings of this study confirmed that implementation of the PMTCT guideline at facility level was not as per the recommendations of the guideline. Commitments of the global community and MOH through the introduction of advanced ART drugs make PMTCT program a promising intervention to see HIV free generation in the near future. Poor integration and monitoring system, low community involvement, loss to follow up and limited skilled workforce were found the major challenges to the PMTCT program. With an integrated approach, multidisciplinary professionals including social workers have many roles to play in this regard
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Social Work