Knowledge and Practice of Prevention of Mother-To-Child-Transmission of HIV among Traditional Birth Attendants Practicing in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

Background: Transmission of HIV from mother to child is by far the most common route of HIV infection in children. It is estimated that without effective interventions, between 67,500 and 125,000 infants will be infected with HIV annually in Nigeria. Traditional birth attendants assist in 60–80% of all deliveries and even more in the rural areas of developing countries including Nigeria.

Objective: This study is aimed at assessing the knowledge and practice of Prevention of Mother-To-Child-Transmission of HIV among Traditional Birth Attendants practicing in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey using well structured, validated and pre-tested questionnaires to interview 600 TBAs from 21 randomly selected local government areas of Akwa Ibom State to assess their knowledge and practice of prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.

Results: 96.8% (581) of the study population were aware of the existence of HIV/AIDS, however only 194(32.3%) of these respondents who were aware of the existence HIV/AIDS were also aware of mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of HIV. Furthermore only 83 (42.8%) of the 194 respondents who were aware of MTCT of HIV were able to state correctly the various routes through which MTCT of HIV could occur. In addition 174(89.7%) of our respondents who were aware of MTCT of HIV also believed that MTCT of HIV could be prevented. However only 121(69.5%) of these 174 respondents knew that PMTCT can be achieved through proper medical interventions.

Conclusion: The knowledge and practice of PMTCT of HIV by the TBAs practicing in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria is less than adequate thus increasing the risk of vertical transmission of HIV. There’s an urgent need for the education and training of TBAs to improve their knowledge and enhance their practice.