ABUJA — Rivers State has achieved a milestone in the fight against HIV, with over 95 percent of pregnant women accepting HIV testing between 2020 and 2023, according to the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN). The achievement marks a significant step in the state’s Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program.
Dr. Stanley Idakwo, Project Director of the Rivers ASPIRE initiative at IHVN, announced the figures Tuesday in Abuja, citing data from the District Health Information System. He attributed the success to sustained peer mentorship, community engagement, and the mentor mother model, which pairs experienced mothers with pregnant women for emotional and treatment support.
“This is not just a statistic — it’s a reflection of trust, education, and consistent follow-up,” Idakwo said. “We’ve seen that when women feel supported, they are more likely to access care and adhere to treatment.”
However, challenges persist. Idakwo noted that 31.7 percent of women cited distance to health facilities as a barrier, while 20.1 percent mentioned transportation costs and 16.5 percent reported long waiting times. These issues, he said, are being addressed through task-sharing among healthcare workers and integration of PMTCT with broader maternal and child health services.
“Improved staff attitudes and shorter wait times have already made a difference,” said Grace Eke, a midwife in Port Harcourt. “We’re seeing more women return for follow-up care, which is critical for both mother and child.”
Despite the high testing rate, uptake of follow-up services such as facility-based deliveries and antiretroviral use during labor remains inconsistent. To close these gaps, IHVN is enhancing drug supply chains, training healthcare workers, and ensuring mentor mothers and midwives jointly monitor patients through delivery and postpartum care.
The institute is also expanding services to underserved communities. With support from PEPFAR-CDC and the Global Fund, more than 400 Traditional Birth Attendants have been trained across 319 wards and linked to 115 health facilities under a hub-and-spoke model.
Community members have welcomed the progress but stress the need for continued outreach. “In riverine areas, access is still a problem,” said Ngozi Amadi, a community health advocate. “We need more mobile clinics and local health posts.”
Idakwo emphasized that the ultimate goal is to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission entirely. “Every pregnant woman deserves quality, stigma-free care, no matter where she lives,” he said.
The Rivers ASPIRE Project will continue to strengthen partnerships and scale innovations to support Nigeria’s national goal of ending pediatric HIV.
