Essay On Hiv And Aids In Nigeria

1232 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Prevention of hiv

Justin Onwenu
Independent Study: HIV Global Public Policy
Adam Frye
3rd Quarter
Nigerian Government Policy Against HIV/AIDS
“With 3.7% of the population infected HIV/AIDS and thousands dying annually it is apparent that Nigeria’s concerns with HIV prevalence are disproportionately greater than that of the rest of the world.” Nigeria’s extreme cultural, socioeconomic, and religious diversity gives it a unique position as a microcosmic country dealing with the spread of HIV/AIDS. Because of its great diversity and similarity among other African nations, any success Nigeria has regarding HIV policy is likely to be duplicated by other nations in Africa and around the world. Over the past decade Nigeria’s policies concerning HIV/AIDS have been polarized. From 2005-2009 Nigeria’s HIV policy placed great emphasis on condom promotion as a method for halting the spread of HIV and preventing unwanted pregnancies. “In 2007 alone, nearly 180 million condoms were distributed through workplace programs, community mobilization, awareness events, health clinics, and through the private sector social marketing programs”. Since this time Nigeria has adopted a new policy for the years 2010-2015. This policy is a multi- pronged attack against the spread of HIV. Its main methods for halting this epidemic include: education and promotion of condom usage, and addressing biological related transmission (“dirty transfusions/needles” and mother to child transmissions). In this essay I will both address and criticize these policies.
Despite the Catholic Church’s new lift on its former ban on condoms, religious conservatives in Nigeria have been fierce opponents to condom usage and promotion by the Nigerian Government. In 2008 The Integrated Regiona...

... middle of paper ...

...umented that the best and most practical way in preventing HIV transmission is through condom usage. Countries that have adopted widespread condom distribution and education programs have seen the greatest success. Yet, because of a lack of information and religious opposition (despite the pope’s lift of the condom ban) the people of Nigeria are suffering. Furthermore, after examining Nigeria’s national policy on HIV one can conclude that Nigeria is currently putting a lot more emphasis on addressing HIV after transmission (cures/treatments, rights of HIV positive individuals, etc.) instead of a primarily preventative approach. If Nigeria expects to reduce the number of individuals devastated by this awful epidemic it will be important to implement a more preventative and effective policy that will also cater to its unique religious and cultural interactions.

Show More
Related

  • 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa, by Stephanie Nolen

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stephanie Nolen was already known for her work as the Globe and Mail’s Africa correspondent, ranging from the effects of war on women and children, to Stephen Lewis’ fight to end AIDS in Africa, when she published 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa in 2007. 28 is Nolen’s attempt to reflect the 28 million Africans who had HIV in 2007. Nolen gathered the testimonies of 28 individuals including orphans, miners, grandmothers, soldiers, the clergy, and Nelson Mandela. In this book, Nolen seamlessly integrates personal stories of the victims with shocking statistics and engrossing quotes, effortlessly bring a ‘human face’ to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is a great piece of work demanding both empathy and immediate action.

    Read More

  • AIDS and the Women of Africa

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    What would you say if I asked you to tell me what you think is causing the death of so many people in the horn of Africa? AIDS? Starvation? War? Would it surprise you if I told you that it all boils down to the women of Africa? Kofi Annan attempts to do just this in his essay “In Africa, Aids Has a Woman's Face.” Annan uses his work to tell us that women make up the “economic foundation of rural Africa” and the greatest way for Africa to thrive is through the women of Africa's freedom, power, and knowledge.

    Read More

  • Legalization of Prostitution in the United States of America

    1988 Words  | 4 Pages

    "UNAIDS Guidance Note on HIV and Sex Work." Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) (2009): n. pag. UNAIDS. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Hiv / Aids : A Manifestation Of Poverty

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    By the year 2000, 58 million people have been infected by HIV/AIDS and alarming numbers such as 22 million would have already died. And the epidemic continues to spread. HIV/AIDS historically is considered to be one of the longest running worldwide epidemics that we have ever seen, and figures cannot be placed on the true death tolls or estimation of the damage as the cycle still is yet to reach an end (Whiteside 2002). With Africa being the worst hit continent in the world in terms of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the severity of it’s prevalence; one can only begin to question whether HIV/AIDS and poverty and directly connected or the inter-linkages exacerbate one or the other. This paper aims to argue that HIV/AIDS is a manifestation of poverty, and simultaneously poverty contributes to growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Development in response both to poverty reduction and to HIV/AIDS is complicated when both have multi-dimensional and multi-faceted impacts on a society, whether it be social, economic or human development impacts. This paper will argue that pre-existing socio economic conditions within a country such as high levels of poverty, poor sanitation, malnutrition, environmental degradation and poor public healthcare systems and limited access to preventative care are crucial factors in contributing to the transfer of the infection (Pasteur: 2000, Mann: 1999).

    Read More

  • Overpopulation and the Environment

    2021 Words  | 5 Pages

    Oghre, Ben. “Nigeria’s Population Is A Silent Killer .” Nigerians of America. N.p., 30 Sept. 2007. Web. 5 Feb. 2012. .

    Read More

  • Essay On Resource Curse In Nigeria

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    The question to be answered in this paper is to what extent has the resource curse affected the Nigerian economy and government? Resource curse is a term that states the observation that countries that have a plethora of natural resources (e.g. oil, coal, diamonds etc.) usually have unstable political and economic structures (Sachs, 827). Nigeria is categorized as a nation that has succumb to the resource curse as it has an abundance of, and an overdependence on, oil, and a decreasing gross domestic product (GDP) (Samuels, 321-322). Nigeria is known for its specialization and overdependence on oil and according to Ross, nations of such nature tend to have high levels of poverty, large class gaps, weak educational systems, more corruption within the government, and are less likely to become democracies (Ross, 356). The political instability and regime change in Nigeria will be observed in this paper. The resource curse has greatly weakened Nigeria as it has led to the numerous regime changes, the hindering of the nation’s democratization, corruption in the government, as well as, civil conflict.

    Read More

  • HIV And Aids Essay

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    HIV and Aids are something that have been a major problem in a large part of the world for many years. These viruses have destroyed many families and have taken many people’s lives. There are many different ways for a person to receive the virus. As of today, there is still no cure for these horrible diseases. Until scientists and doctors are able to find a medicine that can cure them, many people will continue to be affected by these diseases. This research paper will break down each virus separately to better explain what they exactly are and how they affect people by their signs, symptoms, etc.

    Read More

  • Homosexuality Of Homosexuality

    2247 Words  | 5 Pages

    This paperdiscusses homosexuality as a form of deviant behavior in Nigeria. In so doing, the paper will examine the nature of homosexuality, its causes and even consequences of this particular behavior to those who engage in it as well as to the larger Nigerian society. The paper also seeks to outlineany previous attempts that have been employed to address homosexuality, including their success and failures. Lastly, the paper also looks intohow widespread homosexuality is in Nigeriaand gives suggestions as to how the behavior can be addressed more effectively.

    Read More

  • Essay On Nigerian Culture

    2197 Words  | 5 Pages

    What is culture? Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving

    Read More

  • Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    Akanbi, Moses Ayokunle, Gbemisola Wuraola Adetoro, and Omolola Omowunmi Okoya. "Undergraduates Perspectives On Sex Education And Teenage Pregnancy In Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria." Gender & Behaviour 11.1 (2013): 5146-5152. Academic Search Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.

    Read More

  • The Impact of HIV/AIDS

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Without proper knowledge and equipment, it is very difficult to prevent the spread of AIDS. Ever since the illness was discovered thirty years ago, it has taken the lives of thirty million people and affected the lives of many, many more. The AIDS pandemic has been and still is most severe in third-world countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It has impacted the economies of entire nations by crippling and killing individuals in the most productive years of their lives (“HIV/AIDS”). AIDS greatly influences the government sector, agricultural sector, private corporations, and individual households.

    Read More

  • Preventing HIV/ AIDS

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    HIV does not only affect the well-being of individuals, it has large impacts on households, communities and even nations as a whole. Peer discussions and personal research has also made me realize that some of the countries suffering from this HIV epidemic also rather unfortunately suffer from other infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, relative poverty and economic stagnation. Despite these setbacks, new inte...

    Read More

  • Challenges of the 21st Century

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... diseases such as AIDS are also becoming a problem in places like Africa. Knowledge of how to prevent these diseases is not widely known, so an increasing number of people are infected. More attention needs to be placed on adequate health care and technology in these countries. While these third world societies may not have the resources with which to implement these changes, more advanced societies certainly do.

    Read More

  • Essay On Ghana

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ghana is a country located on the west coast of Africa; Africa is a resource rich continent that supplies much of the world with diamonds, oils, petroleum and more through trade. The country of Ghana has undergone revision in their labor forces in the past twenty years, Ghana has moved more from the traditional labor sector like agriculture to more modern sectors. One of the more modern sectors of Ghana today is the industrial sector which is relatively small and is mainly operated by the Ghanaian government. The industrial sector was expanded by the government and president to employ the unemployed and promote investment in the private sector. After the 1990’s Ghana has seen consistent economic growth but their economic growth from the last eight years has increased tremendously. In the most recent of years ( after 2004) the growth rate of Ghana started to accelerate and it increased to over six percent between a five year span from 2005-2010, with the average being above seven percent in 2000 and 2009. The increase in sectors has taken Ghana from a poverty rate of more than half 51.7% to 28.5% by the year 2005. Before Ghana’s independence on March 6, 1957 most of the country’s gdp was contributed to agriculture and the industry sector was less of a contributor. Recently, between the years of 2001-2010 the roles of whom or what contributes to the gdp has switched. Most of the contribution to the gdp is that of the service sector. Even though, the service sector has risen to the top of the economy, agriculture is slowly but surely is rising back to the top of Ghana’s highest gdp contributor by the way of nontraditional exports like automobiles and cocoa. The service sector of Ghana provides many residents w...

    Read More

  • Drug Abuse in Nigeria

    1681 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the 80s Nigerian citizens are caught on daily bases due to drug trafficking. At a moment like this what the country should do is to apply a policy that would reduce drug trafficking. Another way to control this issue is to put roadblocks and checkpoints where violence is common and also in airports and seaports. The N.D.L.E.A should also make sure that all pharmacies issue people drugs on prescription only. The problem of drug abuse is not something that can be controlled while sitting down, the country has to work together to prevent this harmful act.

    Read More

More about Essay On Hiv And Aids In Nigeria

Open Document