The Status and Challenges of HIV Services in Niger State: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Providers and Clients

Introduction: The incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigerian is on the decline, but with the trio of high inflation, high unemployment, and high terrorism in the country; lot of synergies are still needed to end the HIV scourge. Objective: The study was carried out to determine the status of HIV services in Niger state. Method: A cross-sectional survey, using a simple randomization sampling method, and the client’s viewpoint in health facilities across Niger state was undertaken to examine the challenges faced by HIV service providers. Data from 351 HIV providers, 361 clients were collected using questionnaires; IBM and Pearson correlation were used for descriptive and inferential statistics respectively. Results: The mean age of the providers was (M = 30.50, SD = 8.2). Challenges included poor salary (M = 2.44, SD = 1.16), staff shortage (M = 3.01, SD = 1.24), lack of recognition & incentives (M = 2.57, SD = 0.99; M = 2.63, SD = 1.08), others were infrastructural deficit, inadequate funding, training and materials; poor electricity and internet; lack of research and unionism among others. The non-enabling factors challenges were burnt out (M = 3.01, SD = 0.99), insecurity (M = 3.51, SD = 1.09), working extra hours (M = 3.02; SD = 0,98), migration desire (M = 3.87, SD = 1.06). Conclusion: It is highly overdue, that all HIV stakeholders in the country take complete custodian of all HIV service components; come up with a sustainable policy to steer toward HIV eradication program, by increasing the enabling factors, and reducing the non-enabling factors.