Rapid Scale-up of an Antiretroviral Therapy Program Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — Nine States, Nigeria, March 31, 2019–September 30, 2020
Authors: Emilio Dirlikov, Ibrahim Jahun, Solomon F. Odafe, Ogbanufe Obinna, Chibuzor Onyenuobi, Mgbakor Ifunanya, Timothy A. Efuntoye, Nguhemen Tingir, Uzoma Ene, Ayodele Fagbemi, Chidozie Meribe, Orji Bassey, Adeola Ayo, Omodele Johnson Fagbamigbe, Joy Amafah, Moyosola Bamidele, Matthias Alagi, Ademola Oladipo, Ibrahim Dalhatu, McPaul Okoye, Dennis Onotu, Jerry Gwamna, William A. Abrams, Deborah A. Conner, Anuli Nwaohiri, Deborah Carpenter, Ugonna C. Ijeoma, Sarita Shah, Laura I. Tison, Minesh Shah, Helen Chun, Michelle Williams-Sherlock, Andrew T. Boyd, Pamela Bachanas, Akudo Ikpeazu, Gambo Gumel Aliyu, Tedd Ellerbrock, Mahesh Swaminathan, Kathleen FitzGibbon, Mark Giambrone, Andrew Abutu, Ian Fellows, Lisa Murie, David Miller, Obinna Nnadozie, Ray Shiraishi, Viva Thorsen, Opeyemi Adebayo, Patrick Dakum, Charles Mensah, Fadimatu Mishara, Olupitan Olayemi Kinmilola, Benjamin Pillatar, Chukwu-Emeka Okolo, Tarfa Verinumbe, Yakubu Sambo, Fidelis Yillong, Oluwaseun Abe, Olaitan Achor, Musa Bashir, Stephen Bature, Emily Madina, Bolanle Oyedelun, Fabian Bassey, Amana Effiong, Alimigbe Francis, Dorcas Magbadelo, Charles Okolie, John Okpanachi Oko, Olanrewaju Olayiwola, Eugene Onu, Chukwudi Onwuchekwa, Mikhail Obaje, Prosper Okwonkwo, Thomas Usha, Evans Ejimkaraonye, Chiagozie Achebe, Sylvia Adebajo, Johnson Alonge, Moses Asiozi, Nelson Attah, Nnabundo Musei, Prosper Onyekachi, Kristen A. Stafford
Journal: MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2021)

In 2018, an estimated 1.8 million persons living in Nigeria had HIV infection (1.3% of the total population), including 1.1 million (64%) who were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) (1).Effective ART reduces morbidity and mortality rates among persons with HIV infection and prevents HIV transmission once viral load is suppressed to undetectable levels (2,3).In April 2019, through the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR),* CDC launched an 18-month ART Surge program in nine Nigerian states to rapidly increase the number of persons with HIV infection receiving ART.CDC analyzed programmatic data gathered during March 31, 2019-September 30, 2020, to describe the ART Surge program's progress on case finding, ART initiation, patient retention, and ART Surge program growth.Overall, the weekly number of newly identified persons with HIV infection who initiated ART increased approximately eightfold, from 587 (week ending May 4, 2019) to 5,329 (week ending September 26, 2020).The ART Surge program resulted in 208,202 more HIV-infected persons receiving PEPFAR-supported ART despite the COVID-19 pandemic (97,387 more persons during March 31, 2019-March 31, 2020 and an additional 110,815 persons during April 2020-September 2020).Comprehensive, data-guided, locally adapted interventions and the use of incident command structures can help increase the number of persons with HIV infection who receive ART, reducing HIV-related morbidity and mortality as well as decreasing HIV transmission.In April 2019, CDC launched an 18-month ART Surge program to rapidly increase the number of persons with HIV infection receiving ART.† CDC and its four implementing partners § established incident command structures to manage operations * https://www.state.gov/pepfar/† Among the NAIIS-derived estimated 1.8 million persons with HIV infection in Nigeria, 1.1 million were receiving ART; according to PEPFAR program data, 709,654 persons with HIV infection were receiving PEPFAR-supported ART as of December 31, 2018.