Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission at Primary Health Care Level in Moshi Urban Tanzania: Uptake Challenges and Transmission Rate

Sia Msuya, Killimanjaro Christian University College, Moshi
Jacqueline G. Uriyo, Better Health for African Mother and Child and Oslo University Rikshospitalet
Tamara H. Hussein, Better Health for African Mother and Child
Melina Mgongo, Better Health for African Mother and Child
Ahmad Makuwani, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania
Babill Stray-Pedersen, University of Oslo

Aim: The study aimed to describe the challenges of uptake of PMTCT interventions and MTCT rates at 18 months post delivery. Methods: Pregnant women, in their 3rd trimester, attending 2 PHC facilities in Moshi were recruited. They were interviewed, tested and women-infant pairs were followed-up for 18 months post-delivery. Results: Of the 2654 women, 99% accepted testing, and 7% (184) were HIV-positive. Of the 184 HIV-positive women, 93% (171/184) came for test-results, 71% (130/184) took NVP in labor and 59% (103/175) infants received NVP prophylaxis. Sixty-eighty percent of exposed infants were tested at 18 months, and the rate of MTCT of HIV was 15.8%. Conclusion: Nearly 40% of infants do not receive ARV prophylaxis and there is high rate of loss to follow-up after delivery, which needs urgent improvements. The high transmission rate support testing of exposed-children earlier due to high number of deaths among children < 18 months and missed opportunity to offer early ART care.