Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PMTCT)

Over the period of 2002, three consultants were sub-contracted by HST to facilitate the collection and analysis of routine data from the 18 pilot sites. A PMTCT information systems module was created for the pilot sites using the DHIS software.

The first formal evaluation of the PMTCT programme was undertaken in 2001 and a report was release in early 2002. A second evaluation that includes the process underway in the provinces to expand this programme was conducted in late 2003 and a report is due to be released soon.

2. National PMTCT Cohort Study
The aim of this study is to investigate infant feeding patterns and behaviours of HIV+ and HIV- mothers postnatally and to describe and measure the impact of the PMTCT programme on the health of infants born to HIV positive mothers.

The study began recruiting women in September 2002. The study is being conducted in three purposively selected sites: Paarl (Western Cape), Umlazi (KwaZulu-Natal) and Rietvlei (Eastern Cape).

The cohort study is being coordinated and managed by the Health Systems Trust, under the direction of Ms Tanya Doherty. Technical input into the study design and project management has been provided by the Public Health Programme of the University of the Western Cape and the Medical Research Council.

Laboratory support (HIV testing) is being provided by the Virology Department of the University of Natal. Quality assurance of the field procedures is being managed by the Medical Research Council. Quality assurance of the laboratory procedures is being conducted by the Africa Centre.

3. Cohort Sub-studies

A number of sub-studies have been built into the national PMTCT cohort.

1. An observational study of the quality of ante-natal counselling and education on infant feeding in all three cohort sites.
2. An in-depth sociological study of the factors determining infant feeding behaviour in all three sites.

The first sub-study is an observational study of PMTCT counselling involving direct observation of counselling sessions and exit interviews with women. The study aims to provide a baseline on the quality of counselling provided in the PMTCT programme. Data collection for this study is complete and the final report is being written.

The second sub-study is a qualitative study of infant feeding decision-making. It will involve longitudinal interviews with index types of women recruited according to their antenatal infant feeding intensions. Regular interviews will be conducted with participants between birth and 4 months in order to track infant feeding decisions and to determine the impact of factors such as disclosure on decision making. The study will begin in September 2003.

These cohort sub-studies are being co-funded by the World Health Organisation.

4. PMTCT Capacity Development Tender
HST is part of a consortium together with the Women's Health Project and the University of the Western Cape that was awarded a tender by the DoH to assist provinces in developing plans for PMTCT training and to evaluate current training initiatives. As part of this work, the consortium has assisted in the development of a PMTCT training manual. The manual has been field tested in Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga and is in the process of being finalised.

This tender is funded by the CDC and will be complete in September 2003.

Related Publications

• The Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Transmission - Costing the Service in Four Sites in South Africa (2004-09-20)
• HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing: a gateway to prevention and care (2004-03-31)
• An Evaluation of PMTCT and Infant Feeding Training in Seven Provinces of South Africa (2003-10-01)
• An Evaluation of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV Initiative in South Africa - Lessons and Key Recommendations (2003-12-03)
• Case Study Reports on Implementation and Expansion of the PMTCT Programme in the Nine Provinces of South Africa (2003-10-31)
• An Evaluation of the Quality of Counselling Provided to Mothers in Three PMTCT Pilot Sites in South Africa (2004-05-13)
• Bacterial Contamination and Nutrient Concentration of Infant Milk in South Africa:A Sub-study of the National PMTCT Cohort Study (2003-06-30)
• Interim Findings of the National PMTCT Pilot Sites: Summary of Lessons and Recommendations (2002-07-01)
• Interim Findings on the national PMTCT Pilot Sites (2002-02-26)

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	Related Publications
	Bacterial Contamination and Nutrient Concentration of Infant Milk in South Africa:A Sub-study of the National PMTCT Cohort Study (2003-10-07) An Evaluation of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV Initiative in South Africa - Lessons and Key Recommendations (2004-04-23) Interim Findings of the National PMTCT Pilot Sites: Summary of Lessons and Recommendations (2002-07-17) An Evaluation of the Quality of Counselling Provided to Mothers in Three PMTCT Pilot Sites in South Africa (2004-05-13) Infant Feeding Practices in KwaZulu-Natal - An exploratory study of current infant feeding practices of mothers with 0-6 month old infants attending PMTCT and non-PMTCT clinics in Central Durban (2004-02-11) Case Studies from 9 PMTCT Pilot Sites (2002-05-15)

	Related News
	Policy Brief: HIV and Infant Feeding - Summary of Findings from The Good Start Study (2007-06-26) PMTCT gains reversed by unsupportive environment (2005-06-17) PMTCT Research Officer (2001-11-15) Many challenges for pregnant HIV mothers programme (2005-08-12) Erratic infant formula supply puts PMTCT at risk (2005-08-24)

	Related Health Statistics
	Percentage of facilities that are PMTCT sites (2004-05-14) HIV prevalence (%) (antenatal) (2004-10-04) Percentage of facilities that are VCT sites (2004-05-14) Number of admissions for alcohol and other drug abuse (2007-05-21) Reported deaths from malaria (2006-06-07)

	Related Events
	Graduate Programme in Public Health 2010 (2009-08-31) Annual Sexuality Leadership Development Fellowship (SLDF) Programme (2006-07-10) Human Rights Training for Health Professional Educators (2010-01-25) HISA 2006 Conference (2006-05-03) Health Sector Reform and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: MPH/MSc Module and Short Course (2007-11-26)

	Related links
	Women, Children and HIV INDEPTH: Network of Demographic Surveillance Sites Center for Health and Gender Equity [CHANGE] Centre for AIDS Development, Research and Evaluation (CADRE) The Perinatal Education Programme (PEP)

	Related Content
	The HIV Impulse Project (2004-04-07) Research: Mother and Child Health Research (2007-08-03) An Audit of Voluntary Counselling and Testing in South Africa (2004-05-14) Research: Reproductive Health including HIV and AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infection and Related Research (2007-08-06) The Research Cluster (2004-02-09)