Prevention of mother-to-child transmission activities after one-off clinical mentorship training in selected health facilities, Zimbabwe: 2014-2018

Abstract

This was a cross-sectional study describing HIV testing uptake and ART initiation for pregnant women and HIV-exposed infants after one-off clinical mentorship training in 2013 for nurses in 56 peripheral health-facilities, Zimbabwe. Between 2014-2018, 92% of 106411 pregnant women were HIV tested and 98% of HIV-positive women initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART). There were 15846 HIV-exposed infants, of whom 96% had dried blood spots collected for virologic diagnosis and 51% of those diagnosed HIV-positive initiated ART. In conclusion, this one-off clinical mentorship training in 2013 was associated with consistently high HIV testing and ART initiation in pregnant women and their children.

Keywords: Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF); HIV-exposed infants; HIV-infected pregnant women; antiretroviral therapy; early infant diagnosis.