Nigeria: HIV Prevalence Rate in Nigeria Decreases

The HIV prevalence rate has slightly dropped in Nigeria. The release of the 2003 sentinel survey indicated that the prevalence rate has decreased slightly from 5.8 per cent in 2001. Previous surveys have shown that HIV prevalence has been increasing consistently from 1.8 per cent in 1991, to 5.8 per cent in 2001. Researchers, aware that HIV awareness was higher than in previous years but that this had not been translated into behaviour change, anticipated that the 2002 prevalence rate would follow the trend.