The Eradication of the Immunodeficiency Virus Human (HIV/AIDS) Transmission from Mother-to-Child (ETMC) in the Maternity Ward at the Ratoma Medical Centre, Conakry, Guinea

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this article are to: 1) Determine the prevalence of parturient that escapes from the ETME, 2) Determine the rate of acceptability or non-acceptability of the HIV tests, 3) Describe the epidemiological profile and 4) Describe the factors explaining the lack of screening during pregnancy. Methodology: This report is based on an eventual descriptive study carried out in the Maternity Ward at the Ratoma Medical Centre for the past six months. The study took place over six (6) months from June 15 to December 15, 2016. The data were collected by individual interviews using a data collection sheet and prenatal consultation booklet that were administered to parturients in their language of comprehension. Each unscreened parturient received in the delivery room or in immediate postpartum received pre- and post-test HIV/AIDS counseling with immediate announcement of the outcome for all those who accepted the principle. For parturients who were in the active phase of work, counseling/testing was done in the immediate postpartum period. The data were manually collected from the pre-established fact sheets, captured using the Word, Excel and PowerPoint software packages of the 2007 Office and analyzed by the Epi-Info software (version 3.5.4). The limitations of the study were the lack of adequate room for the HIV testing council, the refusal of HIV testing by some parturients and the lack of achievement of CD4 levels in the hospital laboratory. Outcomes: The survey indicated that out of the 41.80% (177/423) of pregnant women that have recently given birth, ignore their HIV status. About 36.90% (66/177) rejected the screening and the 6.4% (7/111) that accepted were HIV/AIDS positive. The epidemiological study revolved around the following categories of women aged between 24 and 33 (42.85%), 1) Married (100%), 2) Housewives (57.14%), 3) Out-of-school (57.14), 4) Lack prenatal follow-up (42.85%), 5) Ignorance of the existence of HIV (71.42%). Reason Invoked for the Unawareness: No screening was proposed for prenatal follow-up (90.40%). Conclusion: The HIV testing approach in the work room could serve as a catch-up strategy to reduce vertical transmission and thus increase the operational coverage of the PMTCT service. The upgrading providers of basic facilities would be necessary in order to offer the HIV screening in refocused prenatal consultations, which could reduce the catch-up/contamination in the work room.