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The latest edition of Protecting Global Gains profiles how Nigeria pivoted during the pandemic to a community-centered approach to HIV testing that resulted in substantial increases in testing. This story, first profiled for the Global Fund Results Report 2021, serves as an example of a health program’s flexibility, resilience and unwavering tenacity in the face of a global pandemic.
In October 2020, UNAIDS reported on data showing that HIV testing has significantly decreased in most countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic safety protocols. Many countries where the Global Fund supports healthcare services have seen a decrease in HIV testing in this time—but not Nigeria. This story, Nigeria Faces Down COVID-19’s Impact on HIV Testing, highlights the innovative, community-centered effort to train community health workers to not only serve as contact tracers but conduct in-home tests for HIV and TB. These innovations both reverse the negative trends due to COVID-19 and provide strategies that will make these health systems more resilient.
Follow the Protecting Global Gains series on social media at @hivpxresearch, @theglobalfight, @Amref_Worldwide and #ProtectingGlobalGains, and consider amplifying these stories on your own social media. Advocates can read about Global Fund’s work to support countries, like Nigeria, to achieve epidemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit www.protectingglobalgains.org to learn more about how to take action.