Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused global disruptions in healthcare service delivery. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) services were also interrupted, threatening the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3. T...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2024-05-01
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| Series: | South African Family Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5899 |
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| author | Florence M.Q. Setshedi Livhuwani Tshivhase Idah Moyo |
| author_facet | Florence M.Q. Setshedi Livhuwani Tshivhase Idah Moyo |
| author_sort | Florence M.Q. Setshedi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused global disruptions in healthcare service delivery. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) services were also interrupted, threatening the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3. This article describes the PMTCT service interruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tshwane healthcare facilities.
Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore and describe the experiences of healthcare providers offering PMTCT services during COVID-19 in the Tshwane district, Gauteng province. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 16 participants, and Colaizzi’s data analysis steps were followed in analysing the findings.
Results: Participants reported interruptions in PMTCT service delivery during the pandemic. Non-adherence to scheduled visits resulted in patients defaulting or not adhering to treatment regimens, high viral loads and mother–infant pairs’ loss to follow-up. Other features of service disruption included late antenatal bookings, low client flow and delays in conducting deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction (DNA-PCR) testing in HIV-exposed babies. In addition, staff shortages occurred because of re-assignments to COVID-19-related activities. Study participants were psychologically affected by the fear of contracting COVID-19 and worked in a frustrating and stressful environment.
Conclusion: Improved community-based follow-up services are critical to enhance PMTCT service outcomes and prevent infant HIV infections.
Contribution: The findings may influence policymakers in developing strategies to curb HIV infections among mothers and children during pandemics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a94961ef706f47c28a0eaa3c5de4e63d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2078-6190 2078-6204 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-05-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Family Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-a94961ef706f47c28a0eaa3c5de4e63d2025-08-20T03:47:07ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042024-05-01661e1e810.4102/safp.v66i1.58994426Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemicFlorence M.Q. Setshedi0Livhuwani Tshivhase1Idah Moyo2Department of Nursing, Faculty of Healthcare Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, PretoriaDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, PretoriaDepartment of Health Studies, College of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa; and Department of HIV Services, Populations Solutions for Health, HarareBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused global disruptions in healthcare service delivery. The prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) services were also interrupted, threatening the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3. This article describes the PMTCT service interruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tshwane healthcare facilities. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore and describe the experiences of healthcare providers offering PMTCT services during COVID-19 in the Tshwane district, Gauteng province. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 16 participants, and Colaizzi’s data analysis steps were followed in analysing the findings. Results: Participants reported interruptions in PMTCT service delivery during the pandemic. Non-adherence to scheduled visits resulted in patients defaulting or not adhering to treatment regimens, high viral loads and mother–infant pairs’ loss to follow-up. Other features of service disruption included late antenatal bookings, low client flow and delays in conducting deoxyribonucleic acid-polymerase chain reaction (DNA-PCR) testing in HIV-exposed babies. In addition, staff shortages occurred because of re-assignments to COVID-19-related activities. Study participants were psychologically affected by the fear of contracting COVID-19 and worked in a frustrating and stressful environment. Conclusion: Improved community-based follow-up services are critical to enhance PMTCT service outcomes and prevent infant HIV infections. Contribution: The findings may influence policymakers in developing strategies to curb HIV infections among mothers and children during pandemics.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5899covid-19descriptive phenomenologyhivinterruptionspmtct services. |
| spellingShingle | Florence M.Q. Setshedi Livhuwani Tshivhase Idah Moyo Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic South African Family Practice covid-19 descriptive phenomenology hiv interruptions pmtct services. |
| title | Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV service interruptions amid COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | prevention of mother to child transmission of hiv service interruptions amid covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | covid-19 descriptive phenomenology hiv interruptions pmtct services. |
| url | https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5899 |
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