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Impact of poverty on HIV in Nigeria
Introduction
Overview
HIV/AIDS is undoubtedly one of the most problematic issues facing most developing
countries. In Africa, HIV is a leading cause of mortality. Many households and societies struggle
with the menace every day. It is not even surprising to have up to a quarter of the adult
population in some countries living with HIV. Apparently, the virus has struck hard on low to
medium class societies. Over the course of the last two decades, public health professionals and
leadership have instituted several interventions to curb the malady albeit little success.
Most of these interventions have mainly focused on awareness creation on associated
risks and promotion of individual-based risk reduction strategies like abstinence, having one
sexual partner, and consistent use of condoms. For the infected population, the focus of
interventions has been on the reduction of stigma and the promotion of the consistent use of
ARVs. Little attention has been given to examining the correlates between HIV and the
socioeconomic environment. Leading studies have shown that HIV is a great deterrence to
poverty alleviation strategies (Whiteside 313). Equally, poverty is a leading risk factor for the

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spread of HIV (Fox 16). Thus, understanding the relationship between HIV and poverty is
important to improve the strategies already in place.
Development of thesis statement
In Nigeria poverty is listed as one of the risk factors for behaviors that increase people’s
exposure to HIV. For example, poverty worsens other conditions that increase women’s risk of
being infected. Studies show that poor women lack control of the circumstances under which
they engage in sexual activity, including the age at which first sexual intercourse occurs and the
frequency thereafter (Tallis 37). Poverty is not only a factor in the transmission of HIV but also a
factor that exacerbates the impacts of the disease on individuals and societies. HIV can push
people further into poverty and even drag rich people down the poverty line. Furthermore,
poverty in itself reduces the capacity of societies to fight HIV/AIDS.
What has changed over the course of the epidemic?
HIV is a major public health issue for Nigeria. The country is home to Africa’s largest
human population for any country and has the largest HIV incidences in the world after India and
South Africa (Monjok, Andrea and James 21). Since the first case was reported in 1985 the
numbers have increased progressively. The age bracket at high risk has been widening thus
doubling the numbers progressively each year. According to UNAIDS, up to 9% of all HIV
incidences reside in Nigeria (Awofala and Olusegun 697). These statistics are alarming
considering the recent past years of political turmoil which slowed down the pace of growth and
development of the African economic powerhouse.
In the course of the past few decades, Nigeria's leadership has instituted various
institutional reforms to better address HIV. Some of these reforms have been to increase

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stakeholder commitment, create awareness, reduce societal stigma, promote treatment, and
ultimately increase universal access to treatment, support, care and prevention of HIV and
affected people (Monjok, Andrea and James 21). As a result, there are more people using ARVs
following a positive HIV test.
One of the things that have changed over the course of the epidemic is prevalence and
incidence. Two decades ago HIV was not as widespread as it is now. Generally, the disease was
confined in urban areas. Due to ignorance and lack of knowledge the virus spread like wildfire
deep into the country's villages. Village folks never saw it coming and it took time before word
got on streets about the disease. Many factors contributed to the fast spread of the disease. First,
there was lack of information about the mode of spread of the virus. Most Nigerians had the
wrong information about how it is transmitted. Many people, for example, relied on myths and
superstitions about HIV. This has changed of course. More people have become knowledgeable
about HIV due to massive campaigns waged both by the government and non-governmental
organizations.
Secondly, HIV spread fast because drugs used to control it were expensive. Generally,
ARVs were not made affordable for most people (Peters et al. 79). Many people could not afford
these drugs which put their viral loads exceptionally high thus making them more infectious.
However, the ministry of ...