The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has said Nigeria contributes about 22% of global paediatric HIV cases which indicates the urgent need for innovative approaches to curb mother-to-child transmission (MTCT).
The agency said eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in the country is an achievable goal that requires innovative approaches that can address the unique barriers faced by women in underserved communities.
In a statement made available to Blueprint in Abuja, Friday, the Managing Partner/Impact Officer of MOZUK Future Solutions Limited, Dr Godwin Emmanuel,
said though World AIDS Day has come and gone, the people should not lose sleep of the fact that there still exist some gaps which must be urgently bridged as a nation.
Dr Emmanuel recalled a recent study in Lagos and Kano which demonstrated how HIV self-testing kits offer a practical, effective, and scalable solution to our MTCT challenges, noted that the study interrogated an initiative seeking to integrate HIV Self-Test (HIVST) kits into TBA services as part of a broader strategy to eliminate MTCT.
He said, “The intervention targeted underserved communities where healthcare access is limited, leveraging the trust and accessibility of TBAs to distribute self-testing kits and provide essential counselling.
“This study, led by Dr Toriola Adebayo of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and Dr Usman Bashir of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, articulated the role of local expertise in advancing healthcare solutions tailored to community needs.
“In this intervention, 182 TBA clinics across three local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos and Kano States were equipped with HIVST kits. TBAs received extensive training on the administration of the tests, pre-and post-test counselling and linkage to care for those who tested positive.
According to Dr Emmanuel, among the 1,982 pregnant women that enrolled in the study, pre-intervention testing rates were markedly low, with just 60% in Lagos and 38% in Kano having ever been tested for HIV, adding that after the introduction of HIVST, testing uptake surged, with all participants voluntarily using the kits during antenatal visits.
“The results were promising: HIV Positivity Rate: An overall positivity rate of 0.8% was recorded, with slightly higher rates in Lagos (1.1%) compared to Kano (0.8%).
“Remarkably, 80% of those who tested positive were undergoing HIV testing for the first time.
“All HIV-positive individuals were successfully linked to ART services, demonstrating the effectiveness of the TBA-led model in bridging gaps in healthcare access”.
He said the success of the initiative exemplified how HIVST can become a cornerstone of affirmative action against paediatric HIV infections, which was also a critical focus of World AIDS Day observances.
He taught that HIV self-testing kits offer a simple, private, and effective means of determining one’s HIV status, adding that the kits allow individuals to test themselves using a saliva sample or a small drop of blood, with results available in minutes.
The UNAIDS medical expert listed the advantages of HIV Self-Testing for Pregnant Women to include: Confidentiality and privacy, increased testing uptake, empowerment through knowledge and stigma reduction, among others.
He said despite the benefits of HIVST that come along, there exist noticeable challenges such as education and awareness, linkage to care and cultural sensitivities where in some communities, discussing HIV remains taboo.
He stressed the need for traditional birth attendants to also play active roles, especially in rural areas where access to formal healthcare is limited.
“Their deep cultural connections and established relationships with pregnant women make them ideal partners in promoting maternal and child health initiatives. By equipping Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) with HIV self-testing (HIVST) kits and training them in counselling and care linkage, this initiative has shown how they can play a pivotal role in preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.”
Dr. Emmanuel therefore, stressed the importance of scaling up a national strategy for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV
(eMTCT) describing it as a critical goal for Nigeria as the country continues to bear a heavy burden of new paediatric HIV infections.
He maintained that to maximize the impact of HIVST, a coordinated national strategy is essential, which must include policy integration, community engagement, training and capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation.