QUALITY ASSURANCE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND HIV TESTING [VCT] SERVICES IN THE PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD-TRANSMISSION [PMTCT] IN RIVERS STATE

  • : Ms Word, Ms Word Format
  • : 80 Pages
  • : ₦3000
  • : 1-5 Chapters
  •  
  • Click to DOWNLOAD Materials

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND HIV TESTING [VCT] SERVICES IN THE PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD-TRANSMISSION [PMTCT] IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

This observational evaluation study was carried out to assess the quality of the VCT services provided at three sites of the Rivers State PMTCT programme. Three PMTCT sites (Isiokpo General Hospital., Ahoada General Hospital and Bori General Hospital) were selected by simple random sampling from a total of 19 sites across three geographical zones in the state. Eighteen VCT counsellors and 216 pre-test counselled women (clients) were studied using two questionnaires, one for the clients and the other for the Counsellors. Counselling sessions were observed and the PMTCT records were reviewed. Information about Counsellors’ perception of services and their performance, the clients’ perception of the services and their satisfaction and the service uptake were sought.
Results showed that the counsellors’ mean age was 41±2.0 years and the mean age of the clients was 27.7 ±5.4 years. Fourteen (78%) of the eighteen Counsellors who responded were adequately trained for PMTCT. Most of the clients (57%) had secondary education. The quality of the VCT services in the sites studied varied. The prevalence of HIV among the women was 8.5%, 9.1% in Isiokpo, 8.7% in Ahoada and 7.8% in Bori. Overall most of the counsellors (56%) felt they were not achieving their aim and (94%) felt that the services need a lot of improvement. Pre-test counselling was adequate (89%) with 100%, 81.8% and 90.9% in the three sites respectively, while post test counselling for HIV positive women was not adequate with only (49%) of the issues being discussed and in the 3 sites (53%, 47% & 40% respectively). Rates of acceptance of HIV test after counselling were 93.1%, 96.2% and 98.7% in the sites with an overall of 96%. Eighty nine (89%) of the women who accepted to do the test actually did the test.

Sixty one (61%) of the counsellors were satisfied with their job and (98.6%) of the clients were satisfied with the services. Reasons for not being satisfied among the counsellors were lack of motivation and unavailability of ARVs for women who test positive in the ANC. Some of the factors affecting the use of the services by the women were; long distance from home, long waiting time for test and collection of result and transport cost among other reasons.
Service uptake was 7.3% overall, and in the 3 sites, 3%, 5% and 11% respectively. These uptake levels compare favourably with figures from other African countries. The low uptake underscores the need for a lot of improvement in the services generally and in Isiokpo and Ahoada particularly. There is need for more operational research.

QUALITY ASSURANCE OF VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND HIV TESTING [VCT] SERVICES IN THE PREVENTION OF MOTHER-TO-CHILD-TRANSMISSION [PMTCT] IN RIVERS STATE

Sharing is caring!

Leave a Reply