HIV/AIDS has declined in Nigeria –UNAIDS

The authorities of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS say there has been a steady decline in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in the past five years.

Investigations conducted independently by the UNAIDS, Health Systems Strengthening, Integrated Biological and Behavioral Sentinel Survey and the Federal Ministry of Health have revealed a 54 per cent reduction in the estimated incidence of HIV in Nigeria between 2003 and 2013 – down from 46 per cent in 2003 to 21 per cent in 2013.

New HIV infections have been decreasing since 2003 when it stood at 348,564. In 2013, the rate of new infections dropped to 220,394. Also, HIV prevalence among pregnant women aged between 15-25 years dropped by 33.3 per cent – from six per cent in 2001 to 4.10 per cent in 2010.

“This year started with the great news of the signing into law the Anti-Stigma Bill by President Goodluck Jonathan,” the globalanti-HIV body noted; describing it “a clear sign of Nigeria’s commitment to stopping stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS.”

The legislation makes provisions for the prevention of HIV-related discrimination and unhindered access to health care and other services. It also provides for protection of the human rights and dignity of people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Prof. John Idoko, said, “It is particularly encouraging that all acts of discrimination against people living with HIV, such as recruitment and termination of employment, denial of access to services such as health care, education, association and other social services will be reduced and ultimately end.”

“The law will help more Nigerians to undergo screening, treatment and access care services without fear of being stigmatised or discriminated against,” Idoko added.

It may be recalled that between 2005 and 2013, national policies and actions had led to the decline in new cases of HIV infections by 35 per cent, a situation that is in tandem with other sub-Saharan countries registering declines in new infections such as Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa.

Idoko said that getting tested for HIV remains the best step in the fight against the infection, noting that “Nigeria has realised exponential growth in the number of HIV counselling and testing sites from 1,000 in 2009 to over 7,000 sites by end of 2013.

“The sites are allowing more and more Nigerians to know their status, while those who test positive to the virus seek treatment and therefore live dignified and productive life.”

He said that in 2014 alone, over seven million Nigerians underwent HIV screening and counseling.

He disclosed that People Living with HIV who are on anti-retroviral therapy increased from 132,438 in 2007 to 659,397 in 2013.

“At some point in 2009, the number of new HIV infections was 306,862, while 302,297 were on ART. By 2013, new infections dropped to 220,394 – far less than 639,397 who were on ART.

“The number of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission sites in Nigeria increased from 230 in 2006 to 1,410 in 2012 and 5,622 in 2013.

“The number of pregnant women who were counselled, tested and received results increased from 300,100 in 2006 to 1,181,296 in 2012, rising sharply to 1,706,524 in 2013; while the number of HIV-positive pregnant women on ART increased from 12,993 in 2006 to 57,871 in 2013,” Idoko revealed.

In 2013, the Jonathan administration launched the President’s Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS to accelerate the achievement of targets of key interventions against HIV.

Also, Idoko noted that through the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme and other programmes initiated to strengthen the health sector, projects that are critical to achieving the universal access to anti-retroviral drugs and the elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV were launched in various communities.

“The new National Operational Plan for the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria 2015-2016 will further help the country to take a more focused approach towards the elimination of mother to child transmission and keep mothers alive by 2020,” Idoko said.

He added, “The decline in the estimated incidence of HIV in Nigeria is a welcome development. Ultimately, Nigeria will be able to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, given the commitment of the government to improving the health of Nigerians and getting to zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination.” Culled