Does the national program of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) reach its target in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso?

Background: In the context of universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support, each country has to ensure that 80% of women and children in need have access to PMTCT interventions. Objective: To assess the PMTCT program achievement in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. Methods: Between August and October 2008, a cross sectional study was carried out in the five health districts of the Centre Health Region. We reviewed weekly statistics from all health care centres (HCC) to compute the coverage of PMTCT program. In 38 HCC with functional PMTCT program, we extracted data of interest from HCC registers and made direct observations of PMTCT services. Results: The PMTCT program was implemented in 49% of HCC (target for the national program: 70%). Fifteen to 31% of these centers were often in shortage for PMTCT consumables. Patients' privacy was not observed in 67% of Voluntary Counselling & HIV Testing wards. Care providers were not qualified enough to deliver PMTCT services. Vitamin A supplementation was not implemented. None of the facilities offered the whole package of PMTCT program interventions. HCC providing HIV testing in labour or in postnatal ward were consistently lacking. Only 86% of antenatal care new attendants benefited from pre-test counselling; 2.4% of pretested women were HIV-positive and 39% of positive mothers received antiretroviral prophylaxis. Conclusion: Coverage and quality of PMTCT programme in the Centre Health Region in Burkina Faso are still limited. Particular support is needed for training, supervision and infrastructures upgrading.