An Observational Study to Assess the Challenges and Gaps in PPTCT Programme in KIMS, Hubli

Abstract

Background: Every year 8 lakh children get HIV infection from their mothers either during pregnancy,

child birth or breast feeding. In the absence of any active intervention, around 56,700 infected babies will be

born annually. PPTCT programme was started in India in the year 2002 with an aim to reduce the perinatal

transmission of HIV. Hence, determining the challenges and gaps in PPTCT programme, will be helpful to

make this programme a success.

Objectives:

Ø To assess the awareness about HIV and the PPTCT programme among the pregnant population attending

ANC OPD, KIMS.

Ø To compare the awareness about PPTCT programme among HIV positive pregnant women and general

population visiting ANC.

Ø To assess the challenges and gaps in the implementation of PPTCT in KIMS

Methodology: A time bound observational study was conducted for a period of six month. Separate pre

tested and semi-structured questionnaire is used to collect the information from women attending ANC

OPD, HIV positive women attending ANC OPD, obstetricians and PPTCT staff, KIMS. Data was entered in

MS Excel & analysed using software SPSS 20.

Results:32%of the women attending ANC OPD did not know about MTCT. Only 26.5% of the ANC women

who know about MTCT were aware about PPTCT and 32% of the ANC women were not aware of both

MTCT and PPTCT. 86.7% of the HIV positive pregnant women who underwent post-test counselling were

aware about MTCT and only 33.3% were aware about PPTCT.

Conclusion: Illiteracy and social stigma are the two main factors that are responsible for the lack of

identification of the HIV cases. The main gaps in the programme are because of lack of adequate number of

counsellors and lack of follow up of the patients.