UNICEF Decries Low Patronage Of PMTCT Services

UNICEF has decried the low patronage of the Prevention of Mother to Children Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services in Nigeria.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a three-day Zonal Network Meeting on Public Advocacy and Alliance Building for PMTCT services in Eket, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.

According to the communique, the uptake of PMTCT services in Nigeria is less than 15 per cent hence more children born to HIV positive mothers are at high risk of HIV infection.

The communiqué urged journalists to play up the issue of PMTCT to enable pregnant mothers to access PMTCT services wherever they were available in the country.

It called on Journalists Alliance for PMTCT in Nigeria (JAPiN) to intensify awareness campaign to encourage stakeholders and owners of media houses to spread the message of PMTCT.

The communiqué urged State Governments to create enabling environment for pregnant mothers to access PMTCT services through free ante-natal care programme.

It called on health workers to cooperate with the media to ensure that accurate information on PMTCT services were given to the people.

The communiqué commended the Federal Government for partnering with United Nations agencies to reduce the burden of HIV and AIDS through joint programming.

The network meeting was organised by UNICEF for journalists in Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River and Imo.