Major theme

Sub-theme

Key statement

Living with HIV

1) Psychological and emotional experience

2) Acquisition of knowledge about EMTCT-HIV

3) Changes in personal life

• I was sad and I started thinking about the possibilities of having a normal child.

• The nurses taught us about EMTCT, they told us that if you do not take the medicine the child can get infected.

• People have kept a distance from me and this has affected my life, I was mostly focusing on these issues such that my business was almost crumbling.

Support system

1) Support from spouse

2) Support from the health facility

3) Support from family

• He reminds me to give the medication to the child and also on the dates to go for reviews and refills for medication.

• I get to meet people at the facility who are also on the same treatment for EMTCT I draw courage from their stories most of the time.

• My brother and sister are equally supportive, and they encourage me so much.

Barriers to EMTCT service utilization

1) Health system barriers

2) Personal perceived barriers

• The nurse and social workers were so harsh that day that it was my fault that I am HIV-positive.

• Sometimes you have to wait the whole day for them to attend to you.

• I have been hiding my HIV status from my husband because I fear him divorcing me.”

• There is usually criticism from my sisters, and they do not support.

• Sometimes I miss the clinic because I do not have transport money, this is because I stay very far away.