Nigeria: Experts Warn of Rising HIV Cases Among Children

A new field report by the IMPAACT4HIV Consortium has raised alarms over significant gaps in awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of Advanced HIV Disease (AHD) among children and adolescents in Kano, Gombe, Rivers, and Lagos states.

The community-led research, which involved focus group discussions and interviews with caregivers and health workers, revealed that stigma, limited resources, and systemic failures are allowing preventable HIV complications to claim young lives.

Dr. Patrick Ikani, Chief Operations Officer at the Institute of Social Change Development, highlighted cases where adolescents abandoned treatment due to stigma, while others went untreated after losing caregivers who knew their HIV status.

"By the time some children reached health facilities, the virus had progressed to a dangerous stage," he said.

Dr. Ramatu Garba, executive director of Support for Women & Teenage Children (SWATCH), explained that AHD occurs when HIV progresses unchecked, leaving patients vulnerable to opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and cryptococcal meningitis.

She stressed that early diagnosis, consistent treatment, and caregiver support can prevent such outcomes.

The study found that across the four states, many caregivers and adolescents had little understanding of AHD, with over 60% in Rivers displaying minimal knowledge of its warning signs.

Dr. Danjuma Abdullahi noted that stigma also drove some patients toward herbal remedies, contributing to preventable deaths.

Researchers also identified shortages of essential diagnostic tools and the absence of dedicated state-level AHD policies, resulting in fragmented care.

Despite challenges, some progress was noted in Lagos, where 95% of caregivers were satisfied with paediatric HIV services.

The consortium urged governments, donors, and civil society groups to establish AHD-specific policies, strengthen adolescent-friendly services, ensure diagnostic supply chains, and intensify community awareness campaigns to prevent further loss of young lives.

Read the original article on Daily Trust.