PMTCT Patronage Low In Nigeria – UNICEF

The United Nations  Children Education Fund, UNICEF, has expressed disappointment over the low patronage of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, PMTCT, services in the country.

This disclosure was made in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day zonal meeting on Public Advocacy and Alliance Building for PMTCT services in Eket  Akwa  Ibom State, Saturday.

The communiqué indicated that, the utilization of PMTCT services in Nigeria was less than 15 per  cent, which it said increases the risk factor for children born to positive mothers.The communiqué called on Journalists Alliance for PMTCT in Nigeria to intensify the campaign for PMTCT to encourage stakeholders and urged media houses to spread the message of PMTCT availability to afford women the knowledge of where they ?? access PMTCT services in the country.

It also urged governments to incorporate PMTCT services in free anti-natal care programmes for easy access by pregnant women.

Also,  health workers were charged to cooperate with the media to ensure that accurate information on PMTCT services were made available to the public.

The network meeting, which was organized for journalists by UNICEF, through the communiqué, commended the Federal Government for its partnership with United Nations Agencies to reduce the burden of HIV/AIDs through joint program.

Tonye Nria- Dappa