Nasarawa SURGE project commenced in May 2019 in response to the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Impact and Indicator Survey (NAIIS) . The survey placed HIV prevalence rate at 2.0% with an estimated 23,306 people living with HIV requiring viral suppression.
Nasarawa SURGE project commenced in May 2019 in response to the Nigeria HIV/AIDS Impact and Indicator Survey (NAIIS) . The survey placed HIV prevalence rate at 2.0% with an estimated 23,306 people living with HIV requiring viral suppression.
The project, funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is involved in activities including,
Nasarawa SURGE Achievement as at December 2021.
Number of clients tested for HIV
805,578
Number of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) identified
38,879
Number PLHIV linked to ART
38,653
Number clients currently receiving ARV treatment
79,031
Number of clients with viral load result documented in the last 12 months
69,368
Number of clients with suppressed viral load documented in the last 12 months
64,930
Viral load suppression rate
94%
- Forming and sustaining a consortium of partners and stakeholders to address the HIV burden in the state.
- Identifying and mapping out communities and unreached hot spots with key population requiring HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
- Strategic HIV testing activities including one-on-one counseling and home-based testing.
- Utilizing the Differentiated Service Delivery Models such as community pharmacy, community anti-retroviral treatment to ensure retention of clients in HIV care.
- Tracking of clients who miss appointments through phone calls, home visits and home delivery of drugs.
- Training of health care workers on Dried Blood Spot Viral Load collection to improve their services.
- Utilizing strategies to improve viral load sample collection. This includes use of Treatment Support Specialists for viral load sample collection, and collection of samples through community pharmacies.
SURGE in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak
With the COVID-19 outbreak, the project is carrying out the following to ensure that people living with HIV are reached with prevention, care and treatment services,
- Dissemination COVID-19 related messages to patients via Bulk SMS
- Home delivery of drugs and pick up of viral load samples
- Ensuring the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by health care providers and patients.
- Using community testers for HIV testing, and reducing patient waiting time at facilities
- Using of phone calls for Enhanced Adherence Counselling
- Aggressive phone and physical tracking of clients who miss hospital appointments due to lockdown or restriction of movement.