{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,23]],"date-time":"2026-08-23T14:54:18Z","timestamp":1787496858612,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":71,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772150400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The prevention of the mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV is a vital strategy in reducing paediatric HIV infections. However, the delivery of PMTCT services is frequently impeded by resource constraints within the healthcare systems. This study investigates the systemic barriers affecting PMTCT implementation in Ghana and examines the disconnection between health policy design, priority setting, and on-the-ground realities. Methods: The study employed the qualitative approach using a case study research design. The purposive sampling technique was used in selecting the health facilities, with an in-depth interview guide used to solicit views from healthcare providers and mothers participating in PMTCT services. Braun and Clarke\u2019s thematic analysis was employed in analysing the data on the perceptions of infrastructural and resource-related challenges affecting PMTCT services. Results: Participants identified several key barriers, including the absence of dedicated office spaces, a limited outpatient department (OPD) capacity, inadequate storage for antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications, and shortages of HIV-testing equipment affecting care delivery and access. These issues, alongside workforce limitations and supply chain disruptions, were found to significantly undermine the delivery and effectiveness of PMTCT services. Conclusions: The study underscores the need for context-aware health policy development. Effective priority setting and benefits package design must be informed by frontline insights, taking into account infrastructural deficits, human resource constraints, and systemic bottlenecks. Aligning national initiatives, such as the StEPS programme, with operational realities is essential for enhancing PMTCT outcomes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23030293","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T08:31:19Z","timestamp":1772181079000},"page":"293","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Healthcare Infrastructure and Resource Barriers to Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV in Ghana: Insights from a Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0261-3295","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Awinaba Amoah","family":"Adongo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi A0K315, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dominic Nabil","family":"Bodpii","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Business, University for Development Studies, Tamale TL1350, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6063-242X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert Kuchengye","family":"Mokulogo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Languages Education, School of Education and Life-Long Learning, Simon Diedong University of Business and Integrated Development Studies, Wa WA64, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lumbwe","family":"Chola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0317 Oslo, Norway"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"James","family":"Akazili","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Health, C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Navrongo P. O. Box 24, Ghana"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Ghana Health Service (2020). Annual Health Report 2020."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Ministry of Health (2020). National Strategic COVID-19 Response Plan 2020\u20132024."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Ghana AIDS Commission (2022). National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS 2022\u20132026."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2580","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep14030190","article-title":"Exploring Intervention Frameworks to Improve Utilization of Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission Services in Africa: A Scoping Review","volume":"14","author":"Mukomafhedzi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Nurs. 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