Men’s Health Network Nigeria: Providing Appropriate and Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV Prevention Services
The Men’s Health Network Nigeria seeks to ensure that all men in Nigeria receive appropriate, comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention services and targets populations considered most at risk.
In Nigeria, men who have sex with men face widespread stigma and discrimination throughout the community, and even at the hands of health care workers.
Little focus has been given to men’s health and well-being in sub-Saharan Africa. The Population Council's Men’s Health Network Nigeria (MHNN) seeks to bring needed services to Nigeria. The Men’s Health Network Nigeria recognizes the importance of considering health from a male perspective, given that among the male population in the region there are unacknowledged groups with high-risk behaviors.
The target populations for current MHNN activities are those populations considered most at risk: men who have sex with men (MSM), uniformed personnel (police, customs, immigration, military), truck drivers, prisoners, and university students. There are high levels of stigmatization within the country concerning certain sexual behaviors, including same-sex sexual practices. As a result, the populations who are involved in such activities are hidden and do not receive appropriate HIV preventive messages. Although high-risk populations are the focus and target of initial MHNN activities, the vision of the project is to address the health needs related to sexual health and HIV transmission for all men.
Practical goals of the project are to increase knowledge and understanding of men's health issues, increase levels of preventive behaviors (e.g., use of condoms), and improve the capacity of health service providers to provide preventive goods, including drugs and services. These activities are carried out in a way that is sensitive, culturally appropriate, accessible to all men, hassle-free, and man-friendly.
To achieve these goals, the Men's Health Network Nigeria employs a social franchise model to increase the availability of high-quality HIV counseling and testing, sexually transmitted infection testing/syndromic management, pre-packaged therapy, and condoms/lubricant by harnessing both private- and public-sector providers.
High HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Nigeria: Implications for combination prevention (abstract) (HTML)
Vu,Lung; Adebajo,Sylvia; Tun,Waimar; Sheehy,Meredith; Karlyn,Andrew; Njab,Jean; Azeez,Aderemi; Ahonsi,Babatunde
Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 63(2): 221-227
Publication date: 2013
High levels of bisexual behavior and factors associated with bisexual behavior among men having sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria (abstract) (HTML)
Sheehy,Meredith; Tun,Waimar; Vu,Lung; Adebajo,Sylvia; Obianwu,Otibho; Karlyn,Andrew
AIDS Care Published online ahead of print, 6 June
Publication date: 2013
High levels of unprotected anal intercourse and never testing for HIV among men who have sex with men in Nigeria: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey for the need for innovative approaches to HIV prevention (abstract) (HTML)
Vu,Lung; Andrinopoulos,Katherine; Tun,Waimar; Adebajo,Sylvia
Sexually Transmitted Infections Published online ahead of print, 12 July
Publication date: 2013
The Men's Health Network, Nigeria (MHNN): Social networking, social franchising, new technologies, and traditional prevention for high-risk men, including MSM (abstract) (PDF)
Poster presentation at 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention, Cape Town, 19-22 July
Karlyn,Andrew; Adebajo,Sylvia; Nwachukwu,Chukwuemeka; Darby,Heather; Tun,Waimar; Kellerman,Scott E.
Publication date: 2009
Men's perceptions of masculinities and sexual health risks in Igboland, Nigeria (abstract) (PDF)
Odimegwu,Clifford; Okemgbo,Christian N.
International Journal of Men's Health 7(1): 21-39
Publication date: 2008
Challenges for the sexual health and social acceptance of men who have sex with men in Nigeria (abstract) (PDF)
Allman,Dan; Adebajo,Sylvia; Myers,Ted; Odumuye,Oludare; Ogunsola,Sade
Culture, Health and Sexuality 9(2): 153-168
Publication date: 2007
Project Stats
Location: Nigeria (Abuja, Ibadan, Lagos)
Program(s):
HIV and AIDS
Topic(s):
HIV prevention
Men who have sex with men
Mobile populations
Stigma and discrimination
Duration: 10/2008 - 10/2013
Population Council researchers:
Sylvia Adebajo
Non-Council collaborators:
Dennis Ojiywma (The Independence Project)
Jean Njab (African Health Project)
Oliver Anene (Alliance Rights Nigeria)
Donors:
The Ford Foundation
UK Department for International Development
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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