The Nigeria HIV and AIDs indicator and impact survey has been launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.
The survey is the largest ever funded by the United States Government and Global Fund and is expected to test more than 170,000 voluntary Nigerians across the country.
Kemi Balogun reports that the new survey, jointly partnered by the Nigerian and united states
governments, will be the largest population based HIV and Hepatitis survey in the world.
It seeks to improve on data collection and gathering to find better ways of managing the current status of HIV, Hepatitis B and C across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
President Muhammadu Buhari notes that the survey will greatly help kick back on the burden of HIV within the country through effective data collection.
The national agency for the control of aids (NACA) and the ministry of health both believe that this survey will help the Nigerian health system to have a more precise estimate which will not only help to determine the burden but also measure the impact of present interventions.
The NAIIS survey will test about 137,000 adults and 31,000 children and it will last for the next 6 months.
According to authorities, the result of the survey will be available by early next year.