P-32 The Prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Exposed Infants and Outcome of Direct Blood Spot Test during the period January to December 2019 at Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation
Author(s):
M Parris, E Cunjie
Year of Presentation:
2023
Objective: To evaluate the prevalence and management of
HIV Exposed Infants born at the Georgetown Public Hospital Cooperation (GPHC) during the year 2019.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was done on records collected by both hard and soft (electronic) copies of all HIV Exposed Infants born at GPHC during the period of January to December 2019. The data collection excluded all infants whose charts lacked documentation of the variables that were under study. Relevant data were then inputted into a spreadsheet to obtain researchers’ objectives.
Results: This research shows 2.5% of all neonates born in 2019 at Georgetown Public Hospital were born to mothers who are HIV positive. It was revealed that there was 100% adherence to guidelines pertaining to the start of prophylactic ARVs in neonates. 85% of neonates had Direct Blood Spot testing done prior to discharge from hospital. This research showed that the correlation between mothers with known HIV Positive status and use of ARVs prior to delivery is significant at the 0.01 level.
Conclusion: Overall it can be concluded that World Health Organization (WHO) & Ministry of Health National AIDS Programme Secretariat guidelines for HIV Exposed Infants are satisfactorily being practiced to prevent mother to child transmission in Guyana.