The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) reported that 60, 000 babies are born with the HIV every year in Nigeria which makes Nigeria the highest for any country. The major means by which these babies are being infected is through mother-to-child transmission. Nearly 60,000 children acquiring HIV infection remained unchanged since 2009. The problem continues to persist as a result of poor ante-natal care (ANC) in health facilities,coupled with the fact that some pregnant women prefer to patronize traditional birth attendants (TBAs) due to poverty, exposing them to primitive treatment (taking herbs). Religious beliefs, avoiding caesarian section and cultural beliefs has also been reasons some women engage in orthodox intervention which has led to death of mothers and infants, transmission of HIV from positive mother to new babies, complication before, during and after birth as a result of poor training among TBAs practitioners.

There’s need to improve direct linkage strengthening and partnership among TBAs, private and public health facilities for TBAs to refer positive pregnant women to health facilities that offer Elimination of Mother-to-child Transmission (EMTCT) services so as to prevent new babies from contracting HIV from positive mother.