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Context
HIV and AIDS situation in Nigeria has been on the increase since, the beginning
of the epidemic, with an estimated 3.5 million adults (15 to 49 years) living
with the virus as at December 2001. The infection has extended beyond the
classified high risk group in the country, and is now common in the general
population. However, youths between the ages of 20 to 29 are most affected by
the virus, while in some parts of the country there is high prevalence in the 15
to 19 year age groups.
There is growing evidence that HIV infection is mainly transmitted through
heterosexual relationships, Mother–to–Child Transmission and also, through
contaminated blood and blood products.
UNFPA is working within the context of Reproductive Health to prevent HIV new
infections, particularly among young people and pregnant women, through an
integrated approach.
The currents efforts to reduce HIV transmission falls within the National HIV
and AIDS response and priorities, which encompass curtailing new infections
among young people, access to comprehensive care and support services, including
quality and affordable Voluntary Counselling and testing and PMTCT services and
also, prevention campaigns involving community and religious leaders at the
grassroots level across the country.
VCT services
UNFPA Nigeria is providing access to comprehensive, quality and affordable VCT
services in 15 states, the projects are commencing as pilot projects, which will
be scaled up therefore based on lessons learnt. The efforts made so far,
included making available VCT guidelines and training manuals to project
managers and trainers, pilot sites assessed and identified, training needs and
facility requirements for minimum quality VCT package established, VCT core
team, comprising the project managers and supervisors sensitized on
implementation modalities and monitoring techniques. Sustainability of the
quality counselling services is vital to the intervention, as such; a data base
of master trainers is established in the country. We also, recognized that,
community participation is an integral part and critical towards setting up VCT
services, thus; advocacy and sensitization workshops for policy makers and other
influential groups within the communities and catchments areas are on-going
events.
The target groups for the services were identified through a community needs
assessment exercise. They included both in and out of school youths, pregnant
women and their partners.
VCT services will be provided in a highly confidential and youth friendly way.
To attract adequate youth participation, the Youth Friendly Services are
integrated and made available to young people at the site, while staffs were
trained in a youth friendly manner.
Youth Programme
To effectively reach both in and out of school young people in the 15 states and
the FCT an acceptable and culture sensitive ways of attainment of youth
participation in programme implementation was explored. Their involvements
through religious peer youth educators (Christian youth peer educators and the
Muslim youth peer educators), youth peer counsellors on HIV/AIDS, Young People
Living with HIV/AIDS support groups (YPLWHA) and parents peer groups will
optimistically make a considerable impact in HIV prevention amongst youths in
the country.
In addition to the innovative ways to target young people as a force for change
in reversing the trend of the epidemic, an enabling environment is being
created, which involves;
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