HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF GOMBE AND TARABA STATES IN NORTH EAST ZONE OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The project examined the HIV/AIDS pandemic within the global, regional and national context with a focus on the North East zone of Nigeria. Library and Internet resources as well as official government papers were used while in-depth unstructured interviews with officials gave added impetus. HIV/AIDS prevalence in the North East zone and Nigeria has been rising since the first case of AIDS was reported in 1986. Prevalence has been rising, from 1.5% in 1991 to 5.0% in 2003, with wide variations between zones and state (2.3% in South West, 7% in North Central zone) In 2003, there were an estimated 3.6 million PLWHAs, 0.3 million AIDS related deaths and over one million AIDS orphans in Nigeria. HIV-1 is the main type (about 90%) and unprotected sexual intercourse the main route of transmission. Data availability from the two states was a problem. The high prevalence of HIV/AIDS poses a threat to national development by particularly affecting those in the productive age. The disease leads to depletion of human resources, reduction of GDP, increasing dependency ratio, reduction in Life Expectancy, and increasing population of AIDS orphans. It reverses any gains in social and economic development and poses threat to Nigeria's attainment of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Nigeria's efforts include adopting a multisectoral AIDS policy, implementing a 3-year HIV/AIDS Emergency Action Plan (HEAP), launching the Antiretroviral treatment programme, and the National Behaviour Change Communication Strategy. Both Gombe and Taraba States have programmes aimed at reducing the spread of the disease and mitigating its effects. These include Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT), Antiretroviral treatment, Capacity building for health workers, and enlightenment of the people. Implementation of activities by the States' AIDS control programmes have been poor, purportedly due to poor funding. There is need for adequate funding of AIDS control activities in the states, improvement of data collection on HIV/AIDS, provision of Antiretroviral treatment for more patients, establishment of VCT centres, sustained Behaviour Change Communication campaign, and affirmative action for PLWHAs in educational and job opportunities.