HIV/AIDS GENERAL STUDIES COMPENDIUM
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Date
2012-10
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mustard Communications
Abstract
The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a major public
health and development crisis. The
pandemic has evolved into the greatest
human tragedy over the last two decades since
the first case was diagnosed. The World Bank
reported in 1996 that in the ten Sub-Saharan
countries with the most advanced HIV/AIDS
epidemics, estimates indicate that per capita
income growth will be slowed by an average of
0.3% a year between now and 2025. The
epidemic is evolving in diverse patterns across
countries and regions. In most countries, overall
adult prevalence is below 1 percent, with the
epidemic concentrated in sub-populations,
notably injecting drug users, sex workers and
men who have sex with men. In some countries,
prevalence has risen to as high as 80 percent of
some subpopulations. Ominously, in a growing
number of countries, the epidemic is spreading
among the general population. In Sub-Saharan
Africa,adult prevalence is over 7 percent.
In Nigeria, the adult HIV prevalence has
increased from 1.8% in 1991 to 4.5% in 1996 and
5.8% in 2001 Estimates indicate than more than
3.5 million Nigerians are infected. In 2005,
however, the epidemic rate has dropped to
about 3% resulting from active responses
towardsmitigating the effect of the virus and the
disease. Like many other developing countries,
Nigeria has passed through several phases in her
response to the epidemic. In 1997, the
government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
through the Federal Ministry of Health adopted
the National Policy on HIV/AIDS and STI. Later in
2000, Presidential Committee on AIDS (PCA)
and the National Action Committee on AIDS
(NACA) were established.A three year HIV/AIDS
Emergency Action Plan (HEAP) was formulated
in 2001 whichis now being implemented.
The overall goal of putting in place policy for
HIV/AIDS is to controlits spreadinNigeria,and
to mitigate its impact to the point where it is no
longer of public health, socialandeconomic
C H A P T E R O N E
INTRODUCTION
concerns. Nigerians will be able to achieve
socially and economically productive lives free of
the diseaseand itseffects .
In recent decades, HIV/AIDS has become a
topical issue in Nigeria. Ever since the first case
ofAIDS was registered in 1982, the epidemic has
continued to be on increase. For instance, an
estimated 5.1% - 5.4% of the population has
been infected with HIV/AIDS by 1999 and by
2006, 6.1 millions of 140 million populations is
living with HIV/AIDS. The situation becomes
worrisome as the number of people with the
disease is expected to grow significantly by the
end of 2010 . Despite the pandemic nature of
HIV/AIDS, it was not until 2000 that the Nigerian
government recognized HIV/AIDS as a major
health problem . Unfortunately, this was not
immediatelymatched with intensified campaign
on HIV/AIDS by governments at all level.
However, the recent happenings indicate
government sudden interest in fighting the
scourge. Government’s mounted aggressive
campaign in the media and posted billboards in
cities and highways, sensitizing on the dangers
of the disease, modes of transmission and
prevention. There have also been responses
from both nongovernmental and Christian
organizations in this campaign. Despite these
concerted efforts by government and non governmental organizations to address the
problem, it is disheartening to note that the rate
of infection is still high.