Implementing a rural programme of Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Kouga LSA, South Africa: a pre-post evaluation: final report: Kouga LSA PMTCT programme implementation

Abstract

Baseline assessment of missed opportunities for PMTCT was conducted in the Kouga LSA in 2007 to gather information on the status of PMTCT programme implementation prior to initiating programme strengthening activities. Identified gaps in the PMTCT programme were staff shortage, lack of guidelines, stock outs, no monitoring and evaluation system, lack of training and poor data collection methods. Interventions included provision of guidelines and policies, monitoring and evaluation by development of operational plans, establishing support group facilitators, training of staff (lay counsellors and nurses on VCT/PMTCT, M&E and dual therapy) and appointment of staff (professional and enrolled nurses, and a data capturer). After these interventions, a post-assessment was conducted in 2009 in the same health facilities using same methods employed during baseline assessment in order to determine whether there were any improvements brought about by the programme strengthening activities. This report presents the pre-post assessment results.