Intervention strategies suggested by the Nigerian segment of the SAREC program on sexual networking, STDs and AIDS

Abstract

The primary purpose of this paper is to survey the behavioural findings of the Nigerian program and to draw conclusions about the most needed interventions, and those most likely to be successful, in combating sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. The emphasis is on the reduction of transmission of these diseases, partly because the number of Nigerian AIDS cases is as yet much smaller than was feared when the research program began. The Nigerian program began in 1989. It has always had two components. The first is a field research program, largely but not entirely focused on Ondo State; it was originally based in the Faculty of Social Science, Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, and has since been transferred to the University's Centre for Population and Health Research. Parallel to this work, there had been developed a research program initiated by the West African Research Group on Sexual Networking (WARGSN). This Group has comprised 20 researchers based in 15 institutions, mostly in Nigeria and Ghana. Finally, the paper refers briefly to experience reported by the SAREC programs in Ghana and Uganda which have as yet no parallel in Nigeria, but which are important for a comprehensive examination of the situation.