Nigeria is set to introduce cabotegravir, a long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, as part of a comprehensive strategy to curb new infections.
This was disclosed by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Country Coordinator, Funmi Adesanya, during a media session commemorating the 2024 World AIDS Day.
Adesanya highlighted that the injectable PrEP is a safe and highly effective option for individuals at substantial risk of HIV, including serodiscordant couples, men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, people who inject drugs, and sex workers.
“PrEP will also play a significant role in gender-based violence care, providing an HIV prevention tool for individuals who face assaults or other challenges,” Adesanya stated.
She emphasized the importance of awareness and accessibility, noting instances where survivors of rape were unaware of PrEP options despite the availability of resources. “It breaks my heart to see the lack of awareness as a barrier, even when commodities are accessible,” she said.
Adesanya also addressed discrepancies in the data on HIV prevalence in Nigeria, citing a gap in achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goal by 2025.
The initiative aims to ensure 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of diagnosed individuals receive treatment, and 95% on treatment achieve viral suppression.
“There is hope for reaching the 2030 target, but we need to focus on identifying individuals who still don’t know their HIV status,” she added, calling for stronger collaboration between communities and the government to create enabling environments and implement supportive policies.
Melissa Jones, USAID’s Mission Director, echoed the importance of HIV prevention, particularly for pregnant women, to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
She emphasized that antenatal care and early immunization are crucial for both mothers and children.
Jones also stressed the need for marginalized communities to have access to HIV care and prevention services. She highlighted the importance of political will, leadership, and community investments to sustain the progress made in HIV control across the country.
The introduction of cabotegravir marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against HIV, offering new hope for those at risk and advancing the country’s efforts to achieve global HIV eradication goals.
