Teenagers experiencing sex, rape are major contributors to new HIV cases - Dr Ogunkunle, Oyo SACA Project Manager

In this interview with SADE OGUNTOLA, Oyo State AIDS Control Agency Project Manager Dr. Olukayode Ogunkunle talks about the inequalities that make it difficult to end the spread of HIV and the persistence of stigma and discrimination that still overshadow the prevention of viral infection.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2022 is about equalizing certain factors to end AIDS; What are these inequalities holding back the end of AIDS?

Looking at the World AIDS Day 2022 theme for this year, Equalize to end AIDS, and Nigeria focusing its celebration on equal access to HIV treatment and prevention services, is a call to all. action, because it means that we should all be working to ensure that people have equal access to HIV testing, treatment and services. This includes access for pregnant women and children so that we can have an HIV-free generation. We also want to address the issue of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

Yet people, because of their gender, do not have free access to testing and adolescents are castigated when they come to health facilities for services and therefore tend to withdraw. We therefore want to remove all those obstacles and barriers that prevent people of all ages from accessing HIV testing and services.

How would you rate the current access of Nigerians to essential HIV services, starting with Oyo State?

In Oyo State, at the end of December 2021, approximately 29,744 people were on HIV treatment. By June 2022, it had grown to 32,417 people in treatment. Breaking down, we have 22,965 women and 9,455 men currently accessing ART services in Oyo State.

By projection, how many people are expected to be on HIV treatment?

Currently, the HIV prevalence rate in the state is 0.9%. So with the state's population of around 7.8 million, it's predicted that around 70,000 people would need to be placed on treatment, so there's definitely a gap in terms of how many people would need to be under treatment.

It is when people know their HIV status that we can put them on treatment. Thanks to our road tests, we were able to fill in some gaps. This represented an increase from 29,744 people at the end of December 2021 to 32,417 people in June 2022.

So we are working to ensure that all people living with HIV in this estimate are cared for and placed on HIV treatment, adhere to treatment to ensure they are virally suppressed and that they will then no longer be able to transmit HIV. We seek to end HIV; we don't want any more new infections.

Currently, the state is working to ensure access to HIV testing, care and support services and treatment. Free test kits are being provided and distributed to all 227 facilities offering HIV testing services in the state. Of course, there is a standby agreement to ensure test kits are always available at state health centers so anyone who wants to get tested can do so.

Second, we are ensuring that anyone who tests positive is linked to a treatment center and placed on treatment the same day, regardless of where they live. We have 21 centers offering ART across the state while 86 centers run services for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. All of this aims to close the gap in access to HIV testing, treatment and prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

Is it easy to get pregnant women to access PMTCT services in the state given its importance in ensuring HIV-free babies?

it's very simple, there are 227 facilities designated as PMTCT centers, however, since people can get tested for HIV in all health facilities, whether primary, secondary or tertiary in the country. State., pregnant women who test positive for HIV in non-designated PMTCT facilities are promptly referred to the nearest facilities that offer this service.

On this World AIDS Day, the international community remains focused on ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030. How far has Nigeria gone to achieve this?

If you look at the UNAIDS target of 95x95x95 by 2030, what does that mean? The first 95 means that by the year 2030, at least 95% of everyone will know their HIV status. The second 95 means that 95% of those who know their HIV status should be on treatment. The third 95 means that 95% of people on HIV treatment would have achieved viral suppression by the target year.

Currently in Nigeria, some of these targets have been exceeded in adults; the first 95, we reached 90%; the second 95 we reached 98% and the third 95 we reached 95%. However, there are also shortcomings in the case of children. Children under 15 living with HIV are difficult to find and place on treatment.

For children, unlike what we have for adults, we have the following: First 95; 34% of children under 15 living...