European Journal of Preventive Medicine 2021; 9(3): 83-93 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ejpm doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210903.13 ISSN: 2330-8222 (Print); ISSN: 2330-8230 (Online) Improving PMTCT Coverage and Access in Communities with Unmet Needs in Jos, Nigeria by Adopting Task Shifting and Task Sharing Strategies Tinuade Abimbola Oyebode 1, 2, * , Zuwaira Hassan 1, 3 , Tolulope Afolaranmi 1, 3 , Muazu Auwal 4 , Mohammed Shehu 5 , Ngwoke Kelechi 6 , Agbaji Oche 1, 7 , Solomon Sagay 1, 2 , Jerry Gwamna 8 , Prosper Okonkwo 6 , Phyllis Kanki 9 1 Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 3 Department of Community Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 4 Department of Chemical Pathology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 5 Department of Strategic Information (Data), Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 6 AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN), Abuja, Nigeria 7 Department of Internal Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria 8 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abuja, Nigeria 9 Infectious Diseases & Immunology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Tinuade Abimbola Oyebode, Zuwaira Hassan, Tolulope Afolaranmi, Muazu Auwal, Mohammed Shehu, Ngwoke Kelechi, Agbaji Oche, Solomon Sagay, Jerry Gwamna, Prosper Okonkwo, Phyllis Kanki. Improving PMTCT Coverage and Access in Communities with Unmet Needs in Jos, Nigeria by Adopting Task Shifting and Task Sharing Strategies. European Journal of Preventive Medicine. Vol. 9, No. 3, 2021, pp. 83-93. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20210903.13 Received: April 28, 2021; Accepted: May 14, 2021; Published: May 26, 2021 Abstract: Towards achieving an AIDS-free generation, UNAIDS set the 90-90-90 target aiming at 90% of HIV positive persons knowing their status, 90% of positives receive sustained antiretroviral drugs and 90% of those receiving ARVs attain virologic suppression by 2020. The attainment are dependent on continual access, quality care and treatment retention, so efforts must address context specific barriers to accessing services. The ethnoreligious conflicts in Jos created barriers to accessing HIV/PMTCT services, even when treatment sites existed around the metropolis. Fifteen communities lacked comprehensive HIV services and residents could not access treatment facilities because of security challenges. A specialized strategy using community oriented resource persons (CORPs) and task shifting task sharing (TSTS) principles conceptualized by stakeholders was utilized to bridge personnel gaps and scale-up PMTCT. The HIV Lead Implementing Partner supported a faith based community organization to identify and scale-up PMTCT into 28 hospitals in 15 communities. Training and task devolution to Community Health workers (CHWs), expert patients and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) was utilized. The facilities were networked for service delivery, referrals, supervision and commodity logistics. HIV testing was provided to pregnant women during ANC, labour and postnatal, and their children and spouses. All 28 facilities offered HCT and provided ARVs to those testing positive in labour, women testing positive during ANC were managed/referred to 8 PMTCT sites for evaluation and ARV commencement according to Nigerian HIV Guidelines. Infants received Nevirapine, early infant diagnosis and Cotrimoxazole. HIV positive children and non-pregnant adults were referred to three ART sites for evaluation and treatment. The twenty-eight facilities were activated for HCT/PMTCT/ART using MNCH structures and CHEWs, TBAs and PLHIV expert patients provided care, support and tracking. After the six-month pilot, of 3,293 women receiving ANC, 3,094