Grace Edema Stakeholders in the health sector have underscored the need to intensify efforts at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Nigeria. In a statement, the stakeholders, who include representatives from the Centre for Integrated Health Programs, the National AIDS and STI Control Program of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria, said they recently unveiled a Baby Shower Toolkit in Lagos. The event, titled ‘Dissemination of the Toolkit for the implementation of Baby Showers in Congregational Settings for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV,’ was hosted by the CIHP.
Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Integrated Health Programs, Dr Bola Oyeledun, explained that the innovative Baby Shower Toolkit initiative utilises the influence of religious institutions in educating expectant mothers about preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV and the importance of prenatal care. He noted that the toolkit includes guidelines for organising sensitisation events, managing effective group sizes, and training health assistants to support the program. Oyeledun added, “The initiative targets women through religious leaders equipped with toolkits to educate congregations.
Pregnant women attending these sessions will undergo testing for HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis, and sickle cell disease. They and their partners will also have access to testing. “HIV-positiv.