article · Discover Public Health
Early infant diagnosis of HIV allows timely antiretroviral therapy for exposed infants, but operational hurdles can impede delivery. A survey of 120 healthcare workers in Kpando Municipality, Ghana, examined the operational barriers affecting these services. Over half of respondents stated that exposed infants were not routinely tested, while more than sixty percent reported inadequate resources. Insufficient laboratory capacity, lack of equipment maintenance, and delayed polymerase chain reaction results spanning five weeks or more were prominent issues. In addition, healthcare workers highlighted inconsistent communication of results to caregivers and delayed treatment initiation. Key logistical challenges included inadequate diagnostic equipment, poor sample transportation networks, and prolonged turnaround times, alongside staff workload and training gaps. Addressing these infrastructural and communication deficits is critical to preventing late diagnoses and ensuring prompt clinical interventions for infants exposed to HIV.
Timely diagnosis of HIV in infants is essential to initiate lifesaving antiretroviral treatment without delay. Identifying specific operational bottlenecks, such as laboratory deficits, delayed transport of diagnostic samples, and poor communication, provides public health authorities with clear targets for intervention. Addressing these weaknesses helps ensure infants receive prompt care, reducing preventable complications and mortality linked to late diagnosis.
The findings highlight needs that could be addressed by providers of point-of-care diagnostic tools, sample transportation logistics, and digital result-notification platforms. Public healthcare systems and non-governmental health programmes are the apparent end users. Because the study is an observational operational assessment rather than an evaluation of a specific technology, any potential commercial applications remain at an early concept or applied stage requiring targeted product development and validation.
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Abstract Background Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV is an important public health intervention for the early identification of HIV infection among exposed infants and timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Although EID services are implemented in Ghana, service delivery challenges may affect timely testing, result communication, follow-up, and linkage to care. This study assessed healthcare workers’ and caregivers’ perceptions and experiences regarding the functioning and challenges of EID services in the Kpando Municipality. Methods A cross-sectional study design with a quantitative approach was adopted. Data were collected from 120 healthcare workers who were purposively and conveniently selected. Analysis were conducted using Stata version 17, with results presented using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, graphs and percentages. Results The study revealed that more than half of the respondents (53.3%) reported that HIV-exposed infants were not routinely tested, while 61.7% indicated inadequate resources to support EID services. Laboratory facilities were found to be insufficient by 69.2% of respondents, and 76.7% reported a lack of regular maintenance and technical support for EID equipment. Delays were also identified, with 20% of facilities receiving PCR results after 5 weeks or more. Furthermore, 36.7% of respondents stated that test results were inconsistently communicated to caregivers, and 15% reported delays in ART initiation beyond 1 week after diagnosis. The main barriers to EID services were lack of equipment and delayed results (48.3%) and poor sample transport with long waiting times (42.5%). Inadequate training and workload were also noted (9.2%). Conclusion The EID surveillance system in Kpando Municipality faces challenges such as poor infrastructure, delayed results, weak communication, and inconsistent follow-up, leading to late diagnosis and treatment of HIV in infants. The study recommends that the Ghana Health Service strengthen infrastructure, train staff, improve sample transportation, and address stigma through community education to enhance system performance.
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DOI: 10.1186/s12982-026-02674-8
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