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Innovative Biotech Ltd Nigeria. Dr Simon Agwale. General overview (1). Nigeria is the tenth largest country in the world and the most populous in Africa. It is situated within sub Saharan Africa which harbors about 67% of the world HIV/AIDS burden
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Innovative Biotech LtdNigeria Dr Simon Agwale
General overview (1) • Nigeria is the tenth largest country in the world and the most populous in Africa. It is situated within sub Saharan Africa which harbors about 67% of the world HIV/AIDS burden • It has an estimated population of 120 million (1999), representing over one fifth of the total population of the African continent • It is a democratic Federal Republic consisting of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) • The literacy level is estimated to be 55%
General overview (2) • Ever since HIV was reported in the country in 1996, the infection rate has continued to rise steadily from less than 0.1% in 1987, to 1.8% in 1991, to 5.8% in 2001, with a slight decrease in 2003 sentinel survey to 5.0% • The HIV prevalence rates in the two States chosen for the study are 12% for Benue and 9% for Nasarawa. Most of the female sex workers have low literacy rates • Presently, no study has effectively addressed the incidence of the disease among this group till date
HIV prevalence in Nigeria (2) • According to the National survey, HIV prevalence rate among female sex workers in Nigeria has remained high, and is on the increase from 17.5% in 1991 through 22.5%(1993), to 35.6% in 1995 • Female sex workers constitutes an important core group of HIV transmission to the general population
Site overview • Innovative Biotech Ltd (IBL) is a company registered in Nigeria • Investigators have experience with clinical research • Current research at IBL includes: • Development of HIV candidate vaccines • Subtyping of HIV 1 and 2 in Nigeria • HIV drug resistance Surveillance in Nigeria • Prevalence of co-infection of HIV with Hepatitis B & C • Subtyping of Hepatitis C virus in Nigeria • Cross-sectional HIV incidence study among female sex workers based at brothels in Nasarawa and Benue states
Challenges • Subjects being skeptical of our intention- • such trials are relatively new in the area • Not comfortable with staff leaving with their blood samples • Some think their blood will be used for ritual purpose • Resistance sometimes from their male clients • Brothel owners not being cooperative in some places • Outright refusal to grant us entrance in some brothels • Resistance to the ideal of someone witnessing after signing the informed consent form
Current infrastructure • DNA sequencer-DNA analyses • Real time PCR for Viral load quantification • Facs count for CD4/8 measurement • ELISA washer and reader • Chemistry analyzer • Vaccine administration and post-vaccination surveillance • Training and capacity building for health workers, organizations and the general public • Treatment services for HIV an other tropical infectious diseases • Internet and Data entry/analyses • Pharmacy • Counselling unit