IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL HIV AND AIDS BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, 2009-2014 IN THE PREVENTION OF HIV AND AIDS IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Since the first case of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, and the epidemics continually evolved with, Nigeria having a pathetic situation of fluctuating prevalence rate. In the bid to forestall this undulating situation of HIV and AIDS prevalence rate, NACA published the National HIV and AIDS BCC Strategy. Despite the availability of the document, Nigeria still experienced fluctuated HIV prevalence rate. In 2008, NACA launched the revised HIV and AIDS NPP for Nigeria, to provide the States with minimum package of prevention activities. Drawing from the NPP, the National HIV and AIDS BCC Strategy, 2009-2014 was published with the major goal to reduce the rate of spread of HIV infection in Nigeria by 25% by year 2014. The study, therefore evaluated the implementation of this document in the prevention of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.
The study adopted the qualitative design with a study population of thirteen HIV and AIDS implementing organisations registered with NACA in 2008. Sample size of three HIV and AIDS implementing organisations located were selected using the simple random sampling technique and the purposive sampling to select two study areas; Ogun and Oyo States of the South-west Nigeria. Face-to-face interviews were conducted on Key Informants from the three HIV and AIDS implementing organisations, selected staff and AIDS professionals to solicit information for appropriate evaluation. The face and content validity were adopted to ensure that each item on the measuring instrument had logical connection to research objectives and questions. Reliability test was carried out by administering the research instrument to two respondents who had knowledge of the document under investigation. The research instrument of unstructured interview guide was self-administered to the key Informants. Interview responses from the key Informants were transcribed and content analysed based on identified themes in the objectives and research questions of the study.
Result showed that the communication strategy employed by NACA in the implementation of the document under review met the set goal of ensuring media message harmonisation, consistency and effective. The fluctuation of HIV and AIDS prevalence rate within the period of 2011 to 2015 was addressed; stemming the rate of fluctuation from 4.1% in 2010 to 3.1% by 2015.This identified 3.1% HIV prevalence rate in Nigeria is commensurate to the set goal of NACA, as the agency met and surpassed the goal of reducing the rate of the spread of HIV infection in Nigeria by 7.6% reduction. The operational plan of the document under review provided the implementation modalities with players represented at all levels of society. The M&E process as integrated in the NNRIMS and the Operational Plan, 2007-2010 were adopted as the M&E framework.
The study concluded that the implementation of the document under investigation in the prevention of HIV and AIDS in Nigeria was justifiably successful, and the prevalence rate of HIV infection was stemmed. The study recommended that the NACA continues the dissemination of HIV and AIDS information to the Nigeria citizenry to maintain this achievement.
Keywords: Behaviour Change, Development Communication, Evaluation, Communication Strategy, Prevention.