Health
SPECIAL FEATURE: Enter the new HIV test kit – OraQuick
BY: Sandra Ani
In this article, GrassRoots.ng looked at the simplicity and confidentiality of the new test kit for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus – OraQuick.
The numbers
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is one of the widespread diseases that have resulted in high mortality rate in the world. Since discovery in 1983, about 75m people have been infected globally, with about 32m deaths, according to the World Health Organisation reports.
As at the end of 2018, 21 per cent of the world’s population did not know their status and about 37.9m people were recorded to be living with HIV globally. Of these, 36.2m were adults, while 1.7m were children.
A global epidemic
HIV has become one of the most challenging public health issues in the world. The burden and scope of the ‘global epidemic’ varies considerably according to regions and countries, but WHO reports that a larger percentage of infected people are found in Africa, with nearly one in every 25 adults (3.9 per cent) living with HIV and accounting for more than two-thirds of the people living with HIV worldwide. However, reports show that a vast majority of HIV patients are located in low and middle income countries with an estimated 68 per cent living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS reports that about 1.9m people are living with HIV in Nigeria. Sadly, Nigeria happens to be the second country in the world to record the highest number of the epidemic. As at 2019, results from UNAIDS showed that Nigeria had a 1.4 per cent HIV prevalence, which is considerably an improvement when compared to the previous estimate of 2.8 per cent.
Mortality dims
Speaking in Abuja last year, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari noted that fewer people were living with the virus in the country, indicating that Africa’s most populous country made significant progress in the fight against the spread of HIV.
“For the first time, the end of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome as a public health threat by 2030 is truly in sight for our country. I urge us all not to relent but to increase the momentum. Let us work collectively and push for the last mile,” he said.
In the last couple of years, a lot of energy has been channeled into creating awareness about HIV; people are encouraged to go for tests, so their status could be determined much earlier and for Anti-Retro viral Therapy to begin, where applicable. Organisations, local and international, have established free test centers in every country to facilitate early detection.
Stigma
The ART protects infected people from illness and prevents further transmission of the disease to others. Early diagnosis of HIV should be combined with improved prevention, treatment and care. Sadly, people who test positive to the virus always face stigma in their immediate communities, hence the reluctance to disclose their status. Even after diagnosis, some patients would prefer to ignore the reality of their ill-health. Rather than go to the hospital for treatment, they would prefer to live with the illness, knowing well that if people around them got to know, their relationship with them might be affected.
The commitment of international organisations, country-specific government, non-governmental organisations and other health bodies to prevent new HIV infections and ensure that infected patients get access to treatment is visible. Provisions have been made for test centers where people can check their status at relatively no cost. A lot of awareness programmes have been organised, targeting every segment of the population to educate them about the disease, to avoid stigmatisation.
Treatment
HIV drugs are also made relatively affordable to encourage early treatment and reduce mortality rate. However, before treatment can commence, screening is essential first step to take. HIV screening is therefore a gateway to prevention, treatment, care and support services. With the prevalence of the HIV and the efforts being made to curb the spread as well as treat infected patients, greater percentage of the Nigerian population are still ignorant of their status. Efforts are still being geared towards the availability of recommended test centres and counselling sites.
However, a significant milestone has just been reached. Nigeria’s Ministry of Health, through the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme, confirmed the efficiency of a new HIV self-test kit for use in Nigeria after recognising its ability to identify and detect HIV antibodies with a 98.4 per cent specificity and sensitivity.
The kit
NASCP was instituted to complement efforts by the ministry of health towards the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Organiser of NASCP, Dr. Godwin Emmanuel, in a statement on Tuesday, November 19, gave a reporton the OraQuick HIV self-test launch.
According to him, the new HIV self-test kit known as OraQuick is certified by WHO, the United States Food and Drug Administration and Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. He noted that the kit was being used in over 50 countries.
His words, “As part of measures to promote HIV self-testing by the ministry, OraQuick HIV self-test kit was recently evaluated by the Federal Ministry of Health across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. This is in line with national guidelines to assess the efficacy of the test kits for use in Nigeria. The evaluation showed 98.4 per cent specificity and sensitivity to detect HIV antibodies I and II among Nigerians.
“This, therefore, affirms greater confidentiality and privacy from individuals who will purchase the easy-to-use, pocket-friendly diagnostic kit from a designated outlet. The self-run test can be done in the privacy of one’s home or other desired locations, without the knowledge of anyone.”
The 95-95-95 goal
Emmanuel agreed that a lot of people living with HIV in Nigeria were not aware of their status and that the country still had a long way to go as regards meeting the recommended number of HIV testing centres and counselling sites needed. He added that the HIV self-test had been identified as one that would contribute to the attainment of the UNAIDS global 95-95-95 goals. This implies that 95 per cent of people living with HIV should know their status, 95 per cent of people who know their status should access treatment, and 95 per cent of people on treatment should achieve suppressed viral loads.
The OraQuick self-test kit affords people the confidentiality needed to carry out the test, especially if they are anxious about going to a hospital or a public test centres.
Simple procedure
For the test, no blood is required. One only needs to put saliva on the palette and in a matter of minutes, the person’s status becomes visible. The result of the test is guaranteed, as it is being used in other countries in the world. It is relatively easy and simple to use and has been designed to be affordable to everyone regardless of social class.
OraQuick self-test kit is undoubtedly a welcome development and a tell-tale of the efforts to combat the HIV epidemic.
Health
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu Flags off Free to Shine Campaign Against HIV/AIDS, other STDs in Enugu
Gov. Mbah, wife, pledge collaboration, reports SANDRA ANI
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has flagged off the Free to Shine Triple Elimination Campaign, an initiative of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development, OAFLAD, and global partners to eradicate HIV/AID, Syphilis and Hepatitis by 2030.
Flagging-off the campaign at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, on Tuesday, the founder of the Renewed Hope Foundation, Senator Tinubu said the initiative was an imperative, since Nigeria bore the highest burdens of HIV infection in sub Saharan African due to her large population.
“We launched the campaign in January 2025 and have flagged it off in five political zones of North Central, North East, North West, South South and South West. Today, we have flagged off the campaign in southeast to complete the Free to Shine campaign.
“Our aim is to reduce HIV infection among women, prevent mother and child transmission and ensure that every child born with it gets the necessary treatment,” Tinubu said.
She thanked Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and his Wife, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah and the people Enugu State for the warm reception accorded to her and her entourage. During her two-day working visit.
Throwing his weight behind the campaign, Governor Mbah, said his administration had taken health seriously because a healthy population is the foundation on which progress is built.
“Here in Enugu State, we have aligned our healthcare priorities with the vision of the ‘Free to Shine Campaign.’
“By September, we would have completed and fully equipped 260 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres in all wards — each with accommodation for health workers to ensure round-the-clock care.
“We have also strengthened our secondary and tertiary healthcare systems and broadened access to health insurance and emergency services, especially for the most vulnerable.
“These efforts are already yielding results — with a significant reduction in maternal, under-five and infant mortality.
“But we know the work is not done. No health system can thrive in isolation or assume it no longer needs support. This is why we embrace the goals of the ‘Free to Shine Campaign’ — goals that seek to eliminate stigma, expand access to HIV treatment, and, most importantly, end mother-to-child transmission of HIV,” he stated.
The First Lady of Enugu State, Mrs Mbah, commended Senator Tinubu and OAFLAD for providing leadership against the scourges of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
“I commend the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for demonstrating leadership and commitment to the health and well-being of Nigerians.
“As 2023 data from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows, Nigeria has one hundred and forty thousand (140,000) children aged 0 – 14 living with HIV, with twenty-two thousand (22,000) deaths each year. This is an enormous public health burden with vast social and economic implications. So, the ‘Free to Shine Campaign’ is indeed a creation of necessity,” Mrs. Mbah said.
She expressed total support for the initiative, noting that “collaboration is the driving force of change and development.”
“When we collaborate, problems that seem intractable are solved. So, I am confident that the goals of this campaign will be achieved in Enugu State, in Nigeria – and across Africa. What is required is whole-hearted dedication,” she concluded.
The event featured a general overview of the Free to Shine Campaign, by the Executive Secretary for OAFLAD, Dr. Nardos Berhanu, testimonials and experience sharing by persons living with HIV/AIDS, drama presentation by Members of the National Youth Service Corps, and goodwill messages by development partners, among others.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian First Lady was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Ugosinamba (Precious Jewel/Eagle from another kingdom) by the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, citing her love for Enugu and service to the nation and humanity.
Health
Enhancement of Military Health Services: Matawalle Meets U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Health
In a significant move to bolster Defence Health Services and strengthen the partnership between the United States and Nigeria, the Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Bello Matawalle, met with a U.S. delegation led by Dr. David Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Health.
A statement endorsed by Henshaw Ogubike, director of Information and PR at the Ministry, shows that the the meeting focused on enhancing the existing collaboration in defence health between the two nations, which has previously facilitated the establishment of high-tech laboratories in Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister commended the U.S. for their efforts and urged for the expansion of these medical facilities beyond Abuja and Lagos to reach more derserved regions.
Dr. Matawalle emphasized the strategic integration of health services to improve the welfare of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, stating, “A healthy military is the backbone of a strong nation.” He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that military personnel have access to top-tier healthcare services and facilities. To this end, he called for an increase in the defence budget allocated to health, viewing it as a vital investment in the nation’s future and stability.
Furthermore, the Minister highlighted that these initiatives align with Nigeria’s broader commitment to enhancing military readiness while addressing public health challenges that affect both service members and the civilian population. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is dedicated to improving healthcare for military personnel and civilians, recognizing healthcare as a cornerstone of national security.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana mni, stated that this initiative would positively impact military health and serve as a model for strengthening Nigeria’s overall healthcare system. “This collaboration marks a turning point for Nigeria’s defence health system,” he asserted.
Dr. Smith praised the Minister for his proactive approach to health readiness, underscoring the critical connection between health systems and military effectiveness. “Health is as crucial as any weapon system in ensuring military success, and we are committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to enhance its defence health system,” he remarked.
The U.S. delegation is in Nigeria to further advance initiatives aimed at sustaining progress against HIV, accelerating efforts towards the United Nations’ 95-95-95 goals, and working towards the elimination of HIV as a public health threat by 2030.
Health
Neptune Prime publisher to unveil cancer clinic, school, foundation for late journalists’ families as son weds in Yobe
The publisher of Neptune Prime newspapers, Dr Hassan Gimba, has announced plans to commission three major projects in his home state, Yobe State
In an invitation letter sent to newsmen on Wednesday, the publisher disclosed that the event, which is scheduled to take place on August 31, is coinciding with the wedding Fatiha of his son, Barrister Suleiman Gimba.
According to the letter, the wedding Fatiha will take place by 11:00am at the residence of Mohammed Babate, Behind Water Board, Army Barracks, Potiskum.
“Immediately after the wedding Fatihah, we will be commissioning the Hafsatu Gimba Ahmed Memorial School located at VIO Street, Unguwar Jaji, Potiskum.
“This institution is dedicated to the memory of my late mother, aiming to serve the educational needs of our community,” the letter noted.
Dr Gimba added that as part of the launch programme, the Abubakar Monja Lifeline Foundation for Late Journalists’ Families, which he founded to cater to the families of journalists who have passed away, will be empowering youths it trained in tailoring and plumbing.
“Additionally, I would like to invite you to inspect the ongoing construction of the Lami Fatima Babare Cancer Outreach and Clinic situated nearby, also in Unguwar Jaji.
“The clinic is an initiative of the Lami Fatima Babare Cervical Cancer Foundation, which was founded in 2020 – in memory of my late wife, Lami Fatima Babare – to provide medical services and referrals to cancer patients,” the letter noted.
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