NACA to check high prevalence of HIV among key populations

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), on Thursday, is to begin work with stakeholders to check the high prevalence of HIV among key populations including homosexuals.

The NACA Programme Officer, Ms Favor Iyamu, made this pledge at an interactive media meeting organised by the International Centre for Advocacy on Right to Health in Abuja on Thursday.

Iyamu explained that men, who had sex with men also known as MSM were among the key populations with rising cases of HIV prevalence now higher than that of the general population.

She said that an integrated biological surveillance survey of 2014 had also shown that the HIV prevalence among this group of people increased from 13.6 per cent in 2007 to 22.9 percent in 2014.

According to her, this group of people believes that HIV cannot be contracted through the way they have intercourse.

“It is important we work with stakeholders to reduce this high prevalence in MSM in our quest to fight the scourge of HIV in the country.

“Every person or group is important and no population is more important than the other,” she said.

Iyamu said that NACA was committed to work with relevant stakeholders and nongovernmental organisations to eradicate HIV in the country