INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FORUM
Nigeria's stand on HIV/AIDS
NIGERIA
HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SUMMARY
HIV prevalence information among antenatal clinic attendees has been available since the mid-1980s; however, reporting frommore than one or two sites per year did not begin until 1991–92. By 1993–94, 10 major urban sites reported HIV prevalenceamong antenatal clinic women, though it remained low for many years. But, by 1988–90, 1% of antenatal women in the majorurban areas tested positive for HIV; by 1993–94, a median of nearly 4% in major urban areas tested positive; in 1999, nearly5% did so. Among the 10 major urban sites in 1999, HIV prevalence ranged from 3% to 8% of antenatal women tested.
By 1991–92, 20 sites from 10 states outside major urban areas reported HIV prevalence from sentinel surveillance of antenatalwomen. This rose to 63 sites in 1999. Median HIV prevalence among antenatal women tested at these sites increased fromless than 1% in 1991–92 to 5% in 1999. The range of HIV prevalence rates in 1999 went from less than 1% to 21% ofantenatal women tested. HIV prevalence among antenatal women by age is available for the six regions. In 1999, peakinfection occurred among women under 25, of whom 6% tested HIV-positive.
There is some limited information available on HIV prevalence among sex workers, from the mid-1980s. Testing of sexworkers in Lagos began in 1988–89. Two per cent of sex workers tested at that time were HIV-positive, rising to 12% in 1990–91. By 1993–94, 30% of sex workers tested were HIV-positive.
In 1986, less than 1% of sex workers in Borno State tested HIV-positive; by 1989-90, 4% did so. In 1991-92, seven sitesoutside the major urban centres were reporting information on HIV prevalence among sex workers. At that time, a median of13% of sex workers tested HIV-positive, the prevalence among these sites ranging from no evidence of HIV infection to 44%.By 1995–96, 15 sites were reporting a range of prevalence among tested sex workers of 7% to nearly 70%.
By 1994, 5% of STI clinic patients tested in the major urban areas were HIV-positive. HIV prevalence from 21 sites outside ofthe major urban areas increased from 7% of STI clinic patients tested in 1993–94 to 12% in 1995–96. HIV prevalence rangedfrom 1% to 70% of STI patients tested in 1995–96. In 1993-94, 4% of long-distance truck drivers tested in Anambra State were HIV-1-infected.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
SUMMARY OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS
Data on the economic impact on Nigeria are limited. A recently developed model has predicted that the impact on economicgrowth is potentially larger than the average rate in sub-Saharan Africa. Of the sectors explored here, the studies in healthdemonstrate that there is a large gap in funding to meet the full needs of a scaled-up care and prevention programme. This would cost approximately US$ 2–3 per capita or approximately 0.8% of GDP. In education, a model developed by UNAIDSand UNICEF shows how increasing mortality rates have led to discontinuity, with many pupils losing or having a change intheir teachers. The potential impact on other sectors, including agriculture, households and firms, shown in other Africannations to lead to increased costs and expenditure, labour losses, reductions in savings and shifting productivity patterns,needs to be carefully monitored in future studies.
MACROECONOMIC IMPACT
Preliminary results of a model developed in 2000 estimates the annual loss in GDP growth per capita as a result of AIDS tobe 0.95% by 2010 (1).
Economic impact of HIV/AIDS on house holds
Not available
Economic impact of HIV/AIDS on agriculture
Not available
Economic impact of HIV/AIDS on firms
Not available
Economic impact of HIV/AIDS on education
Supply: A model developed by UNAIDS and UNICEF in 2000 shows that, of around 14.8 million primary school students,85 000 would have lost a teacher to AIDS in 1999 (2).Demand: Not available
Economic impact on the health sector
Supply: Not availableDemand: 1-2% of teaching hospital beds are occupied by AIDS patients (3).Resource gap: The annual cost of scaling-up HIV/AIDS programmes is estimated to be between US$ 229 million and US million (4).
