National Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA) is adopting a Test and Treat strategy as a means to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. The test and treat strategy is an early initiation of antiretroviral therapy and is associated with increase survival of people living with HIV in Nigeria.
This new approach was disclosed at the NACA conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, which majorly focused on HIV prevalence.
Nigeria is estimated to have the third largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. With an estimated population of 170 million, about 3.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.
Test and Treat prevents secondary transmission of HIV from an infected person to an uninfected, either sexually or from drug-using partner.
The strategy is on a premise that the rate of new HIV infections can be reduced by using antagonistic method to test and diagnose all people living with HIV infections, treat them with antiretroviral drugs so as to overcome the challenges of undiagnosed infection and poor engagement.
Sani Aliyu, director-general, NACA, says the initiative is the way forward, “Delaying treatment is penny wise pound foolish. We must link patients to care and retain them for the successful test and treat programme.
“If evidence shows that a patient is tested positive, treatment should commence immediately as early initiation of antiretroviral therapy is associated with increased survival among people living with HIV.
“In the past five years, we have reduced HIV/AIDS infections by 20 percent and AIDS related disease by 15 percent. There have been steady declines in HIV prevalence from 5 percent in 2001, 4 percent in 2010 to 3 percent in 2014. About 177,000 pregnant women living with HIV and 53,000 are on treatment in Nigeria.”
Also, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is advocating for self-testing as means of reducing infection.
Margaret Chan, director-general, WHO, said: “HIV self-testing should open the door for many more people to know their HIV status and find out how to get treatment and access prevention services. Millions of people with HIV are still missing out on life-saving treatment, which can also prevent HIV transmission to others.”
HIV self-testing means people can use oral fluid or blood-finger-pricks to discover their status in a private and convenient setting. Results are ready within 20 minutes or less. Those with positive results are advised to seek confirmatory tests at health clinics. WHO recommends they receive information and links to counselling as well as rapid referral to prevention, treatment and care services.
HIV self-testing is a way to reach more people with undiagnosed HIV and represents a step forward to empower individuals, diagnose people earlier before they become sick, bring services closer to where people live, and create demand for HIV testing.
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