Neftaly: Ensuring 90% of Key and Vulnerable Populations Have Access to HIV Prevention Interventions by 2021
Overview
Key and vulnerable populations—such as sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender people, people who inject drugs (PWID), prisoners, and adolescent girls and young women—remain at significantly higher risk of HIV infection due to social, legal, and structural barriers. Despite their vulnerability, these groups often have the least access to prevention services. Neftaly is committed to ensuring that by 2021, at least 90% of key and vulnerable populations in Nigeria and the region have access to effective, rights-based, and evidence-informed HIV prevention interventions.
Goal
To scale up and strengthen access to comprehensive HIV prevention interventions for key and vulnerable populations, ensuring at least 90% coverage by 2021.
Strategic Objectives
1. Expand Access to Comprehensive HIV Prevention Packages
- Ensure wide availability of prevention tools, including condoms and lubricants, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, STI screening, and harm reduction services.
- Integrate HIV prevention into sexual and reproductive health services, especially for adolescent girls and young women.
- Deploy combination prevention approaches tailored to the needs and realities of each population.
2. Deliver Community-Led, Stigma-Free Services
- Support community-based organizations and peer-led initiatives to reach key populations where they are.
- Establish safe spaces and drop-in centers that provide friendly, confidential, and inclusive services.
- Engage key population leaders in service design, delivery, and monitoring.
3. Scale Up Targeted Outreach and Mobile Services
- Use mobile clinics and outreach teams to deliver HIV prevention to hard-to-reach areas and populations.
- Leverage digital platforms and social media to engage youth and urban key populations with prevention messaging and referral pathways.
- Provide after-hours and flexible service delivery to suit the lifestyles and schedules of key populations.
4. Address Structural Barriers
- Advocate for legal and policy reforms that protect the rights of key populations and remove punitive laws that drive them away from services.
- Train healthcare workers and service providers on stigma reduction, cultural competence, and rights-based approaches.
- Strengthen collaboration between law enforcement, civil society, and the health sector to improve access and safety for marginalized groups.
5. Strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation, and Data Use
- Collect disaggregated data to track access, coverage, and effectiveness of prevention programs among key populations.
- Use data to identify service gaps, improve programming, and ensure accountability.
- Involve communities in participatory monitoring to enhance relevance and trust.
Expected Outcomes
- 90% of key and vulnerable populations have access to comprehensive HIV prevention services by 2021.
- Increased uptake of HIV testing, PrEP, condoms, and other prevention tools.
- Reduced incidence of new HIV infections among high-risk groups.
- Improved trust and engagement between key populations and the healthcare system.
- Strengthened community systems and greater inclusion of marginalized voices in HIV programming.
Conclusion
Reaching key and vulnerable populations with HIV prevention is not just essential for epidemic control—it is a matter of equity and human rights. Neftaly is committed to accelerating progress by working in partnership with communities, health systems, and policymakers to ensure no one is left behind. By achieving 90% coverage, we move closer to ending HIV as a public health threat.