Time, scope and resources: why U=U makes programmatic sense for Nigeria
Dorcas T. Magbadelo
A * , Abimbola Phillips B , Pius Christopher-Izere A and Bolanle Oyeledun C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Center for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), Clinical Services Unit, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
B Center for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), Strategic Information, Abuja, Federal Capital Terrirory, Nigeria.
C Center for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP), Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
Sexual Health - https://doi.org/10.1071/SH23046
Submitted: 7 March 2023 Accepted: 14 June 2023 Published online: 13 July 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Nigeria’s widespread mixed epidemiology HIV program has achieved a 26% reduction in new infections since 2010. New HIV infections in Nigeria remain higher in key populations, adolescent girls and young women. Treatment as prevention was a relatively new concept in Nigeria in 2016, with U=U adopted and launched in 2019 by the Federal Ministry of Health. This paper provides justification on why a sustained focus on U=U campaigns in Nigeria will contribute to the successes of the Nigerian HIV program, improving the possibility of HIV epidemic control and attaining equitable health outcomes for all sub populations in Nigeria.
Keywords: adolescents, behaviour, cost benefit, HIV/AIDS, HIV prevention, key populations, Nigeria, policy, program management, sub-Saharan Africa, U=U.
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