As PMTCT services are being decentralized to primary health centres, it becomes important to
understand the disposition of clients at this level to HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in order to
design targeted programs. This study aimed to examine the perception about HIV testing among antenatal
clinic clients at primary health centres (PHC) in Osogbo, Southwest, Nigeria. This is a crosssectional
descriptive study. All 270 consenting pregnant women that attended antenatal booking clinic
in three selected PHCs in Osogbo, between May 2009 and October 2010 were included in the study. 193
(71.5%) were aware of HCT, however, only 26.3% knew their HIV status, and the reasons for testing
included; desire to know status (28, 39.4%), request by the church before wedding (11.3%), when very ill
(42.3%) and other reasons (5.6%). Majority of the respondents (260, 96.3%) were willing to do the test
after counselling, but only if treatment was available for positive cases (46.5%) and if anonymity is
strictly maintained (16.9%). The major reason given by the respondents who were not willing to carry
out the test, was that they were not at risk (7, 70.0%). Willingness to test was found to have a
statistically significant relationship with specific MTCT-related knowledge (t = 2.431, p = 0.034). The
level of awareness of respondents about HIV/AIDS, prevent the mother-to-child transmission of HIV
(PMTCT) and HIV counselling and testing (HCT) was high among the respondents, however very few
knew their HIV status. It is recommended that HIV educational activities should target special groups
such as pregnant women attending PHCs and should address the challenges peculiar to these groups.