THE IMPEDIMENTS AND OTHERWISE OF NIGERIA’S POLICY ON HEALTH AND HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

Introduction

HIV affects 37.9 million people worldwide, and 21% of those infected are completely unaware of their status as carriers. Grillo and UNAIDS estimate that Africa accounts for 69 percent of all new HIV infections and 91 percent of all HIV-positive children (2020). More than half of Africa’s population lives in Nigeria, which has the second-largest HIV epidemic in the world (2020). Nigeria is expected to have the third-largest population in the world, according to the United Nations. Efforts to alleviate the HIV/AIDS epidemic for vulnerable groups of people must be put into place.

National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework in Nigeria aspires to identify and treat 90 percent of all HIV/AIDS positive patients (2017). Assessment of a variety of service delivery components, such as supply-chain management and funding; advocacy; organization procedures; management of the organization; and treatment and prevention programs; is required to do this. An organization’s outcomes can be influenced through evidence-based management, which is comprised of several various components. Non-governmental organizations can use this technique to make better decisions by aggregating and evaluating relevant information, facts, or data from many sources, including literature, practitioners, stakeholders, and organizations. critical populations in value-based and mission-oriented enterprises.

In 2019, an estimated 1.8 million Nigerians were thought to be HIV positive. Adults aged 15 to 49 in Nigeria have an HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 1.4 percent, which is still a long way off. From 6% in 2001 to 1.4 percent in 2020, Nigeria’s HIV adult prevalence rate has decreased significantly. UNAIDS reports that aRT is being taken by 68 percent of adults with HIV, but only 36 percent of youngsters are taking it (2020). 41 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS are found in six states (PLWHA). These are the states of Kaduna, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Lagos, Oyo, and Kano (see Figure 1 and Figure 2).

Nigeria’s low HIV prevalence rate does not imply that the country is doing a better job than most in dealing with the HIV epidemic. Considering how many people are informed of their status, Nigeria has the greatest rate of new HIV infections and the world’s second-largest HIV epidemic. Only 89 percent of adults in Nigeria who have been diagnosed with HIV are receiving antiretroviral treatment, according to estimates from UNAIDS and the Global AIDS Strategy. Grillo, G. and UNAIDS (2020). Furthermore, there is no data on the percentage of people with HIV who have their virus suppressed.

Certain subgroups have a greater prevalence of HIV than the general population. Sex workers, sexual minorities, and those who inject narcotics are among the groups (PWID). According to a recent study, women (Figure 3) and children (Figure 4) are more likely to contract HIV than heterosexual males. There were 14.4 percent of sex workers who were infected with HIV in 2016. NACA and UNAIDS statistics shows that 98.1 percent of commercial sex workers reported using condoms with their partners despite the high prevalence rate in this group.

However, it’s not apparent whether these testimonies are accurate or how many CSWs living with HIV are actually seeking treatment, and the results of a public health behavior research don’t provide a definitive answer. Please, Ankomah and Omoregie! (2011). Female sex workers in Nigeria are less likely to seek treatment because sex work is banned in their country. They’re worried about the legal ramifications of what they’re doing. A person’s vulnerability to HIV and AIDS can increase if he or she refuses to satisfy the authorities after being apprehended by law enforcement.

In addition to HIV, PWID are also at risk since they use the same needles and syringes. Drug use has been known to impair judgment and lead to sexual risk behaviors, which raises the risk of catching the virus. The average age of drug use in the country is 15 years, thus people under the age of 15 are just as likely to get the virus as those beyond the age of 15. PWID who regularly use drugs face varying levels of risk of developing various STIs, with amphetamine users facing the most danger.

Additionally, sexual minorities, such as WSW and MSM, have a greater risk of HIV infection than the general population because of their sexual orientation. As a result of regulations such as the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act, which criminalizes the actions of LGBTQ+ individuals and makes it difficult for them to seek medical attention, they are unable to get Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral medications. Since the healthcare worker still has the final say, requesting access to care does not guarantee that such services will be provided, as the decision still rests with them. More than half the respondents to a public opinion poll conducted by NOI-Polls in Nigeria believe that these sexual minorities should have access to health care (2016). Because of this, stigma hinders prevention as well as essential treatment and care for vulnerable groups.

More than a third of Nigeria’s new infections come from these vulnerable groups. As a result, policies and services aimed at curbing the spread of the disease must take them into account when developing and implementing new measures to combat the problem. Specific interventions tailored to each group’s needs could be developed using such an approach.

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