HOW DO TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS (TBAS) SUPPORT PREVENTION OF MOTHER TO CHILD TRANSMISSION (PMTCT) OF HIV IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA? A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

Background: This study is aimed at identifying sustainable and convenient ways that traditional birth attendants (TBAs) could support prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Method: The study was conducted using a critical literature review methodology. Key words and their alternative terms were identified. A Boolean search was carried out using the keywords and their alternative terms in Global Health, PubMed and Web of Science databases. A total of 98 articles were generated after the database search. Nine articles were identified to be relevant to this study after undergoing a screening process. One article relevant to this study was further identified by a reference list search. A total of 10 articles were identified to be relevant to this study and were critically appraised using critical appraisal tools. A thematic analysis was undertaken which identified 5 themes as means through which TBAs could support PMTCT in Sub-Saharan Africa. These themes are health education, clinical care, monitoring, diagnosis and social support. Conclusion: Health education was most frequently identified as what TBAs do (or could do) to support PMTCT. Clinical care and monitoring are the next most frequently identified interventions. Finally, diagnosis and social support were the two activities least identified as what TBAs could do to support PMTCT in Sub-Saharan Africa from this study.