PMTCT Progress Report (2000 - 2005)

Author: National AIDS Control Programme - Tanzania.

Description: Mother to Child transmission is by far the commonest means of HIV infection in children below 15 years of age. The chances of survival of the child who acquire HIV infection through vertical transmission are poor, adding significantly to the high overall infant mortality rate. Without any intervention 25- 40 % of the infected pregnant women will transmit HIV virus to their babies during pregnancy, labour and delivery and through breast feeding.
It is estimated that with a prevalence rate of HIV infection of 9.6% (NACP, 2003) among pregnant women more than 72,000 babies will acquire infection through MTCT in Tanzania per annum. Strategies like counselling and testing during pregnancy, provision of ARV weather mono or triple therapy, modified obstetric care and safer infant feeding practices have shown to significantly reduce MTCT of HIV. Tanzania is among many African countries that has prioritised PMTCT as a major area of HIV and AIDS intervention. This is reflected in the National Multisectoral Strategic framework on HIV and AIDS (2003-2007) as well as in Health Sector Strategy for HIV and AIDS (2003-2006).
Following a successful PMTCT piloting phase in 2002, the MoHSW committed to scale up PMTCT services to the whole country. The aim is to expand and integrate PMTCT services in routine Reproductive and Child health services in all regional hospitals and selected district hospitals and other hospitals in the country by 2006. The process was planned to be accomplished in a stepwise fashion where the first phase of expansion was conducted in 2003/2004 and it involved eleven regions namely Mtwara, Tabora, Iringa, Kilimanjaro, Dar es salaam Mwanza, Kagera, Coast, Mbeya, Morogoro and
Arusha. The second phase (2004/2005) included Tanga, Singida, Rukwa, Dodoma Kigoma Shinyanga, Mara, Lindi and Ruvuma. By March a total of 544 sites are providing PMTCT services in Tanzania mainland. These include 4 referral hospitals, all 17 regional hospitals, 62 district hospitals, 47 other hospitals, 187 health centers and 227 dispensaries. The MoHSW is also working hand in hand with district councils to incorporate PMTCT programme in their Comprehensive Council Health Plans (CCHPs) to ensure sustainability.

This report covers the implementation of PMTCT programme in Tanzania from it
commencement to date and it is intended to indicate the progress of the programme,
challenges and future plans. Fulltext