Addressing High Rates of HIV among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

The program is implemented in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health (SMOH), Akwa Ibom State Agency for AIDS Control (AKSACA), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) program implementing partners (IPs), and IPs providing antiretroviral treatment (ART) services. The program serves AGYW that are both in and out of school across the 31 local government areas (LGA) of Akwa Ibom. The program involves an ambitious effort to integrate and improve services for AGYW, including gender-based violence (GBV) prevention services. This includes building the capacity of health workers to provide youth-friendly services, intensifying communication and education activities, implementing programs for out-of-school youth, and facilitating community engagement to support prevention. Services focus on risk reduction, behavior change and empowerment, prevention of GBV, tracking new infections, and promotion and provision of condoms and PrEP for HIV prevention. Data.FI brings together representatives from the SMOH, state agencies, IPs, and multilateral organizations on a weekly basis in routine Epidemic Control Room (ECR) meetings to review and analyze data on key HIV indicators, discuss program progress, and identify gaps in program performance. In March 2020, Data.FI presented age- and gender-specific visualizations on the number of OVC ages 0-17 years with known, reported HIV-positive status in Akwa Ibom. The analysis of known HIV status among adolescents ages 15-17 showed a wide discrepancy between males and females, with three females testing positive for HIV for every male. The SMOH recommended the formation of a joint committee with participants from key stakeholder groups to address the issues affecting AGYW. The committee was tasked to mobilize resources and plan a series of activities to address the high rate of HIV infection among 15- to 17-year-old AGYW. The committee identified key actors to implement the AGYW program in Akwa Ibom, developed a joint AGYW workplan, and initiated the Akwa Ibom Pediatric/Adolescent TWG to discuss and address issues related to the implementation of HIV/AIDS programs for children and adolescents. The joint workplan detailed key activities across the state's three senatorial zones, including activities for in-school and out-of-school youth, community-based activities, integration of health services, provision of comprehensive GBV services, and formulation of health services integration policies and guidelines. Data.FI will play a crucial role in the monitoring and evaluation of the program over the next year, providing monthly analysis and visualizations to ensure programs may course correct as needed.