Adolescents and young adults have been identified as one of the major groups militating against the 2030 goal for the Elimination of HIV in the country.
According to research studied across the country most young people confessed not to know their HIV Status as approximately 23 percent say they have never tested for the virus.
A Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and the Coordinator of the Child and Adolescent HIV Programme in NIMR, Dr Agatha David, made this known to journalists at the institute monthly media briefing organised to inform members of the public on some of its activities.
She said that adolescents and young adults living with HIV have the worst indices in terms of treatment outcome for people living with HIV, while 40 per cent of new HIV infections occur among the group.
David noted the testing rate for HIV among adolescents and young adults in the country is less than 25 per cent, hence the need for comprehensive sexuality education to break the chain of transmission.
The Director said, “there was need for the country to meet the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets, describing it has a lifeline for the country to meet the 2030 elimination targets”.
Radio Nigeria Online quotes David as saying that, “the 95-95-95 targets is a strategy to ensure 95 per cent of people with HIV to know their status, and 95 percent of those diagnosed to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART)”
While ensuring that 95 percent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression, the expert advocate optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy in order to achieve viral suppression, halt disease progression, prevent development of drug resistance and stop disease transmission to improve the quality of life of PLHIV.
She said: “Adolescents and young adults are one of the major problems for achieving the 2030 goal for the elimination of HIV in the country”.
“Many studies from across the country have shown that when you ask young people about their HIV status, approximately 23 percent will say they have never tested for the disease”.
“We did a study at NIMR and found an astonishing figures of new HIV cases amongst these adolescent and young adults and this shows that we have a lot of work to do”.
“The ones we reached and enrolled into care for various reasons do not use their drugs, this makes the chain of transmission to be high and that’s why this age group is of concern globally, not just in Nigeria.”
She added that adolescents and young adults living with HIV also needs mental care to ensure their mental stability, noting that 50 per cent of mental issues begins at that stage and could degenerate if not properly managed.
“Although some of NIMR’s findings that are in the public domain were yet to be adopted as a national policy.
Dr Sabdat Ekama, a Researcher from the Clinical Sciences Department in NIMR, who Specializes in Drug Design and Formulation, explained that, “globally, women are disproportionately affected by HIV because heterosexual intercourse is a major mode of male to female HIV transmission and women are vulnerable”.
” Despite the efforts, last year, global HIV statistics reported one point three million new infections which shows that there is an urgent need to design strategies to prevent new cases, if the target of 2030 must be met”. Ekama appealed
Corroborating the points, the Director-General NIMR, Professor Oladapo Obafunwa explained that the age group which constitutes 40 percent needs to be taken care of.
The D-G noted that apart from the enrollment with NIMR, there is a spill over into an orphanage in Ketu.
“That means there is some penetration into the community and NIMR is actively collaborating with other agencies”.he said
The Researchers seek intensified sexually education for parents, adolescents and young adults, religious bodies and communities to address the spread of HIV in the country.