IHVN Records Over 95% HIV Testing Among Pregnant Women in Rivers State

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has announced major progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV in Rivers State, achieving over 95 per cent testing acceptance among pregnant women between 2020 and 2023.

Project Director of the Rivers ASPIRE Project at IHVN, Dr. Stanley Idakwo, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, describing the success as the outcome of years of strategic community engagement, consistent mentorship, and peer-support initiatives.

According to data from the District Health Information System, HIV testing among pregnant women in the state has remained between 95 and 100 per cent since 2020, a milestone attributed to effective counselling and the mentor mother model that promotes emotional and adherence support.

Dr. Idakwo also revealed that 98.6 per cent of clients expressed satisfaction with PMTCT services. However, he identified key challenges, including long distances to healthcare facilities (31.7 per cent), transportation costs (20.1 per cent), and long waiting times (16.5 per cent).

To tackle these barriers, IHVN has implemented task-sharing among health workers, improved case management, and integrated PMTCT with broader maternal and child health services. Enhanced staff attitudes and reduced waiting times, he said, have encouraged more women to seek antenatal care and HIV testing.

While maternal and infant antiretroviral prophylaxis has significantly reduced HIV transmission, Dr. Idakwo noted that uptake of follow-up services such as facility-based deliveries and ARV use during labour still needs improvement.

To address this, IHVN is strengthening healthcare workers’ capacity, improving drug supply chains, and ensuring closer collaboration between mentor mothers and midwives throughout pregnancy, delivery, and the postnatal period.

The institute is also partnering with the Rivers State Ministry of Health to expand PMTCT services, particularly in rural and riverine communities. With support from PEPFAR-CDC and the Global Fund, over 400 Traditional Birth Attendants across 319 wards have been trained and linked to 115 healthcare facilities under a hub-and-spoke delivery model.

Dr. Idakwo reaffirmed IHVN’s commitment to ensuring no child in Rivers State is born with HIV, pledging continued innovation, collaboration, and community partnership to achieve Nigeria’s national goal of eliminating mother-to-child transmission.