Abstract
M.Cur. (Maternal and Child Nursing Science)
The implementation of the PMTCT programme was conceptualised in 2000. The aim of this study was to determine the views of midwives regarding the implementation of the PMTCT programmes in the public health centres in Soweto. Data was collected from midwives involved in the implementation of PMTCT in antenatal clinics by means of semi-structural interviews. Of the 20 midwives (N=20) interviewed, only five (5) midwives attended formal training.
The discussion of the views of midwives regarding the implementation of PMTCT centered around the lack of formal training, lack of resources, lack of infrastructure, negative attitude of the community, lack of budgeting, lack of support by colleagues and poor management support, language barriers in communication and religious beliefs. This study found that midwives need to go for formal training on PMTCT programmes and that more research need to be done in this field. Moreover, the findings from this study have implications for clinical practice. In addition, guidelines were formulated to help midwives and other health care practitioners to implement the PMTCT programmes in antenatal care.