US to donate $90m for humanitarian AIDS survey

124

The US government will provide $90m for the Nigeria AIDS Indicators and Impact Survey (NAIIS) which will cover HIV, and hepatitis B and C across Nigeria.


The aim is to provide answers on the precise number of people infected with HIV for better health planning and results.

The survey, which will take place for six months, was launched in June 2018 and will run until December 2018.

The National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control Program, Federal Ministry of Health, and Secretary for Technical Committee, NAIIS, Dr. Sunday Aboje said this during an interview at the 15th Anniversary of the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Photo Exhibition which took place in Abuja on Thursday.

Aboje said that the survey will be the largest ever population-based HIV/AIDS survey carried out anywhere in the world with a sample size of 170,000 individuals across Nigeria.

“We did the pilot survey last month. Within a week or two we will begin the major survey.

“Once the survey is done, every individual found positive will be immediately linked to treatment and not only for HIV, but also viral hepatitis B and C.”


The Federal Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, commended PEPFAR for their relentless efforts towards bettering the lives of individuals affected with HIV.

“We celebrate the entire victory of science over death and disease that the landscape of HIV represents.

“We commend the US government for sustaining this single intervention. They are the most ambitious in this world.

“We are improving the quality of lives and transforming an entire disease spectrum from a hopeless situation to one where there is hope.”

United States Chargé d’Affaires, David Young, who also spoke at the occasion, said that the US government has provided over $5b for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and cure programs and developed the capacity of the Nigerian health systems.

“Before PEPFAR, HIV infection was a death sentence in Nigeria and other African countries.


“We have made significant progress- over 779,000 men, women, and children are currently on HIV treatment.

“7.7m people last year received HIV counseling and testing services and 1.6m pregnant women received HIV testing and counseling through Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV.

“More than 1m orphans and vulnerable children received care and support.”

“We emphasize that this is an ongoing partnership in the future.”