The Nigeria Institute of Medical Research has revealed in a new study that the percentage of young Nigerians who use HIV self-testing kits has increased from 7 per cent to 80 per cent in just two years.

The NIMR researchers, in collaboration with Washington University and the University of North Carolina, also discovered that 20 per cent of young Nigerians have used drugs at some point in their lives.

While shedding light on the study at an HIV event tagged ‘4 Youth By Youth‘s Close-Out’ celebration in Lagos the Director of Research at the NIMR, Professor Oliver Ezechi, lamented that HIV infection was on the rise among the country’s youth population.

Ezechi, who is also the Personal Investigator of the study; ‘Innovative Tools to Expand HIV Self-Testing’, warned that over 65 million young people in Nigeria lack self-discipline, stressing that this will endanger the country’s future if appropriate control measures are not put in place.

He explained that the study began in 2018 with funding from the National Institute of Health, to investigate the increase of HIV self-testing uptake among Nigerians.

The professor further said the youth, through a crowd-sourcing contest, revealed to researchers that they “prefer an HIV self-testing that they can test in the privacy or comfort of their homes.”

The NIMR Director added that 60 youth research facilitators in 32 local governments across Nigeria enrolled in the study, with over 90 per cent of participants being followed up for 24 months.

He said, “We’re also happy to mention that now, HIV self-testing is in the guideline of the country and will become part of the national guideline. When we started, it was not in the guidelines. It is now in all pharmacies and chemists. You see HIV self-testing everywhere.

“At a point in time when we started, there was only one test available in the country and it was as expensive and cost N15,000. Now, you can get kits as low as between N1, 500 to N2, 000. So that’s what this project has done.”

Ezechi, however, said the study highlights the importance of HIV testing, as people prioritise positive outcomes over negatives.

According to him, it is crucial to maintain positive results and link those with treatment, adding that Nigeria’s efforts focus on controlling adults but that new infections are arising in young people due to risk-taking behaviours.

“In this study, we found out that more than 20 per cent of the young people who enrolled have used one drug or the other. So, if we see these as the drivers when a young person is using drugs, it’s likely to impact safe sex. So this is a potential for HIV transmission. So this is the population that we need to focus on.”

A Washington University professor, Professor Juliet Iwelunmor, revealed in an overview that HIV testing in Nigeria was at the bottom five years ago, with one in five young Nigerians testing for the virus.

She said, “Many young Nigerians have never heard about HIV self-testing, which was confirmed when we started our study. At baseline, only about 7 per cent have ever tested using HIV self-testing kits. And so now, after following them for two years, testing rates are as high as over 80 per cent.

“The ITEST project suggests Nigeria’s goal of an AIDS-free generation by 2030 could be achieved by increasing awareness among Nigerian youth about their HIV status and linking those living with HIV to care.”

She said the unexpected findings of the high use of drugs during the study with 20 per cent of the youth participants were a ticking time bomb if no one was yet to pay attention to it.

Meanwhile, the Director General of NIMR, Professor Babatunde Salako said it was important to involve the youths in projects that concern them as they have innovative ideas.

On her part, the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State AIDS Control Programme, Dr Folakemi Animashaun said the ITEST was a youth and community-driven programme and described it as inspiring.

“The research was about three years, and then, it’s a randomized controlled trial study, which involves a large number of youths, about 8,000 youths across Nigeria,” she said.