Faster Project of the Catholic Relief Services Nigeria (CRS), an NGO, said it would collaborate with stakeholders to evaluate the HIV self-testing campaign efforts in the country.
Dr Chizoba Mbanefo, Director, CRS made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mbanefo said the exercise which would begin on Friday, was aimed at reviewing achievements recorded in usage of HIV self-test kits among Nigerians.
She explained that the HIV self-testing (HIVST) was an alternative to traditional HIV testing services (HTS) as the hardest to reach population could access it.
Mbanefo said HIVST was first recommended by the WHO in 2016 to provide the public, particularly the young people with a convenient, discreet, and empowering way to know their HIV status.
“CRS is, however, bringing HIV stakeholders and implementing partners together to review achievements recorded in the HIVST programme thus far.
“We want to ensure that children and adolescents left behind due to barriers associated with conventional HIV testing particularly the COVID-19 enforced disruptions to HIV testing are reached.
“WHO has encouraged people to take advantage of the self-testing HIV kits available globally to enable people to detect their HIV status privately and take decisive steps in addressing the outcomes.’’
Mbanefo noted that the Federal Ministry of Health incorporated HIVST into the revised “National HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework 2019 to 2021’’, as a priority policy and programmatic approach to HIV response in Nigeria.
The director said that the HIVST strategy had shown that one of the best ways to find new HIV cases was putting demand in the hands of adolescents themselves and closely engaging parents and caregivers.
According to her, HIVST allows individuals to collect their sample either oral or blood-based, conduct the test, and interpret the results privately or with someone that they trust.
She added that the self-test kit was also seen as a possible mechanism to help increase HIV testing uptake and capture otherwise undiagnosed HIV cases. (NAN)