EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORT OF HIV/AIDS INFECTION IN NIGERIA...

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL REPORT OF HIV/AIDS INFECTION IN NIGERIA INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a retrovirus which infects, impairs or destroys the cells of the immune system and functions. Progression of the infection (severe immunodeficiency) leads to weaker immune system rendering an individual susceptible to more infections. These infections are termed opportunistic infections. At its most advanced phase, HIV is called AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) and characterised by cancers related to HIV or any of twenty opportunistic infections (WHO, 2013; WHO 2014a). There are various mode of transmitting HIV infection such as sexual transmission, parenteral transmission and†¦show more content†¦Worldwide, at the end of 2012 32.2 to 38.8 million 2people were living with HIV/AIDS and 1.6 million people have died of AIDS related diseases. 0.8% adults worldwide between the ages of 15 to 49 years are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS but burden of the disease varies between regions and countries with sub-Saharan Africa being the most affected where 1 in every 20 adults live with the condition and accounts for 71% of the people worldwide living with HIV (WHO, 2014c). As at 2011, there were 839,600 pregnant women living with HIV in middle and low resource countries and about 280,000 to 390,000 children are estimated to have been newly infected. A total of 3.3 million children younger than 15 years globally are living with HIV (WHO, 2014d). 3.0 PREVALENCE AND SITUATION OF HIV INFECTION IN NIGERIA Nigerias population is estimated to be 162,256,000, making it the most populous country in sub Saharan Africa, has a HIV prevalence rate of 4.1%, with over 3.1 million people estimated to be infected and living with the virus and 1,512,720 requiring antiretroviral therapy. This figure ranks Nigeria third country in the world after India and South Africa carrying the globes highest burden of HIV and AIDS (Federal Ministry of Health