The Nigeria Institute of Medical Research has revealed that percentage of young Nigerians using HIV self-testing kits has increased from 7% to 80% in just two years.
In a new study, the NIMR researchers, in collaboration with Washington University and the University of North Carolina, also discovered that 20% of young Nigerians have used drugs at some point in their lives.
While shedding light on the study at an HIV event tagged ‘4 Youth By Youth‘s Close-Out’ celebration in Lagos the Director of Research at the NIMR, Prof. Oliver Ezechi, lamented that HIV infection was on the rise among the country’s youth population.
Ezechi, who is also the Personal Investigator of the study; ‘Innovative Tools to Expand HIV Self-Testing’, warned that over 65 million young people in Nigeria lack self-discipline, stressing that this will endanger the country’s future if appropriate control measures are not put in place.
He explained that the study began in 2018 with funding from the National Institute of Health, to investigate the increase of HIV self-testing uptake among Nigerians.
According to Ezechi, “We’re also happy to mention that now, HIV self-testing is in the guideline of the country and will become part of the national guideline. When we started, it was not in the guidelines. It is now in all pharmacies and chemists. You see HIV self-testing everywhere.
“At a point in time when we started, there was only one test available in the country and it was as expensive and cost N15,000. Now, you can get kits as low as between N1, 500 to N2, 000. So that’s what this project has done.”
Ezechi said it is crucial to maintain positive results and link those with treatment, adding that Nigeria’s efforts focus on controlling adults but that new infections are arising in young people due to risk-taking behaviours.
