CIDRZ’s PMTCT Medical Mentor, Dr Chimwemwe Zulu, presented crucial findings on maternal HIV retesting in Lusaka Province at the 16th Annual HIV/TB/STI/Viral Hepatitis Conference held in Lusaka recently.

Her presentation, titled “HIV Retesting of Breastfeeding Mothers in Lusaka Province,” shed light on significant gaps in maternal retesting practices that hinder early diagnosis and prevention efforts.

The analysis revealed that most women attended their first antenatal care (ANC) visits in the second trimester, delaying HIV testing services (HTS) and timely interventions.

Additionally, HIV retesting among women who tested HIV negative during their first antenatal care (ANC) visit was found to be very low, even up to 24 months after delivery.

To address these gaps, CIDRZ recommends conducting qualitative research to identify barriers to maternal HIV retesting, increasing the use of SmartCare in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) facilities for accurate patient data, and standardising HIV retesting packages for pregnant and breastfeeding women to enable early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment linkage.