Use and coverage of PMTCT services: Profile of health facilities and antiretroviral treatment options in Haut-Katanga and Nord-Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction: The objective of this study was to identify treatment options and determine the coverage and use of services for the prevention of transmission of HIV infection from mother to child in Lubumbashi. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study. Including 137 health facilities (FOSA) from ten Health Zones, we systematically included all (FOSA) during the period from June 2016 to December 2017. The interview with the focal points of PMTCT activities allowed us to determine the PMTCT components (cascade of activities) available in the FOSA; the analysis of PMTCT registers made it possible to evaluate the use of each component. The data was analyzed using Epinfo 7 and SPSS v 20 software. Results: Coverage in PMTCT activities in Lubumbashi was 2 FOSAs offering PMTCT services per 100,000 inhabitants (57/3000, 000 inhabitants). This number represents 41.6% (57/137) of FOSAs surveyed. According to the support options, 48.3% offered option A while 51.7% offered option B+. The cascade of components offered was dominated by sensitization, screening and post-testing. Prophylaxis of opportunistic infections (42.7%), early diagnosis in infants (39.0%) as well as retention on treatment: at inclusion (40.2%) at 3 months (10%)  were the components less carried out in the FOSAs. In terms of coverage, these components represented an availability of 0.8 health facilities per 100,000 inhabitants. Conclusion: At least 3 options were used, coverage of PMTCT services compared to previous years, services are not available where women seek prenatal and postnatal care. The specific components, notably: prophylaxis of opportunistic infections, early diagnosis in infants as well as retention under treatment, are still not very available. Strengthening home-based follow-up activities can improve retention on treatment and compensate for low coverage of specific components.