CAPACITY BUILDING ON PMTCT SERVICES FOR STAFF OF O&G DEPARTMENT OF USMAN DANFODIO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, SOKOTO.

HSCL ACE-3 recently conducted a successful on-site capacity building session on May 15th, 2024, for doctors and nurses in the Obstetrics & Gynaecology department of Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto.

This training aimed to enhance the capacity of gynaecologists and nurses in delivering PMTCT (Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission) services and scale up maternal retesting at UDUTH. Participants gained valuable new knowledge on HIV programming in the context of maternal and child health, which will ultimately improve the quality of healthcare services offered by the facility and throughout the state.

A total of 41 participants benefitted from the training, including gynaecologists, nurses, the ART clinic manager, the state clinical mentor, a mentor mother, PMTCT case managers from various departments (ANC, L&D, prenatal, postnatal, gynaecology wards, O&G side lab, and ART unit), and ACE3 staff.

The training covered an overview of HIV testing services, overview of PMTCT services, management of HIV-exposed infants, viral load monitoring among pregnant women, documentation and reporting processes and practical demonstration of HIV testing.

ACE3 Advisors, along with Prof. Mairo Hassan (PMTCT coordinator) and the side lab Laboratorian, facilitated the training sessions. As a result of this initiative, participants are now equipped to conduct HIV testing effectively using dual test kits; Interpret test results accurately and refer patients for retesting, prevention, and treatment services.

The training also addressed knowledge gaps in PMTCT services, and participants will conduct step-down training sessions within their respective wards to further disseminate the knowledge gained. Furthermore, maternal retesting has now been fully integrated into the O&G department's service delivery package at UDUTH.

With the O&G department fully implementing maternal retesting, this initiative is expected to lead to significant improvements in testing coverage among pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Prof. Mairo Hassan, HOD of O&G department/PMTCT Coordinator, expressed her gratitude to the HSCL team in her closing remarks. She highlighted the value of the training for her staff, emphasizing the expected improvements in patient screening. She also commended the participation of nurses, doctors, and all contributors, and expressed openness to further collaboration and learning opportunities.