'I take the drugs… to make the sickness to move out of me': key populations' and service provider perspectives about facilitators and barriers to ART adherence and retention in care in Nigeria.

Background: Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has individual and public health benefits and is critical to improving life expectancy, achieving viral suppression, and reducing the risk of HIV transmission. This qualitative study explored the experience of receiving care as well as perceived facilitators and barriers of treatment initiation, retention in ART care, and adherence to treatment.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted among 28 men who have sex with men (MSM) and female sex workers (FSWs) receiving ART services in Lagos and Benue states.

Quality of care from the perspective of people obtaining abortion: a qualitative study in four countries.

Objective: This qualitative study aimed to identify person-centred domains that would contribute to the definition and measurement of abortion quality of care based on the perceptions, experiences and priorities of people seeking abortion.

Methods: We conducted interviews with people seeking abortion aged 15-41 who obtained care in Argentina, Bangladesh, Ethiopia or Nigeria. Participants were recruited from hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, call centres and accompaniment models.

Women's groups and COVID-19: An evidence review on savings groups in Africa.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and some of the associated policy responses have resulted in significant gendered impacts that may reverse recent progress in gender equality, including in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper presents emerging evidence from studies in diverse contexts in sub-Saharan Africa -with a deep dive into Nigeria and Uganda-on how COVID-19 has affected women's groups, especially savings groups, and how these groups have helped mitigate the gendered effects of the pandemic's and the associated policy responses' consequences up until April 2021. The synthesis presents evidence that savings groups found ways to continue operating, provided leadership opportunities for women during the pandemic, and mitigated some of the negative economic consequences of COVID-19 on individual savings group members.

A qualitative study of how stigma influences HIV services for transgender men and women in Nigeria.

Introduction: Transgender men and women in Nigeria experience many barriers in accessing HIV prevention and treatment services, particularly given the environment of transphobia (including harassment, violence and discrimination) and punitive laws in the country. HIV epidemic control in Nigeria requires improving access to and quality of HIV services for key populations at high risk, including transgender men and women. We assessed how stigma influences HIV services for transgender people in Lagos, Nigeria.

Barriers and facilitators of access to maternal, newborn and child health services during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria: findings from a qualitative study.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic may have affected the utilization of maternal and newborn child health services in Nigeria but the extent, directions, contextual factors at all the levels of healthcare service delivery in Nigeria is yet to be fully explored. The objective of the study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of access to MNCH services during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted among different stakeholder groups in 18 public health facilities in Nigeria between May and July,2020.

"I just have to hope that this abortion should go well": Perceptions, fears, and experiences of abortion clients in Nigeria.

This qualitative study aimed to examine how abortion clients in Nigeria perceive abortion and explore the role their beliefs and fears play in their care-seeking experiences and interactions with providers. Abortion is severely legally restricted in Nigeria but remains common. We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 people who obtained abortion services through three distinct models of care.

Operationalizing the distribution of oral HIV self-testing kits to men who have sex with men (MSM) in a highly homophobic environment: the Nigerian experience.

Background: Self-care health interventions are innovative approaches for improving health and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Men who have sex with men (MSM) have been disproportionately affected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In spite of this, stigma from healthcare workers has reportedly prevented MSM from accessing HIV testing in health facilities.

What Are the Contextual Enablers and Impacts of Using Digital Technology to Extend Maternal and Child Health Services to Rural Areas? Findings of a Qualitative Study From Nigeria.

Strengthening health systems to improve access to maternity services remains challenging for Nigeria due partly to weak and irregular in-service training and deficient data management. This paper reports the implementation of digital health tools for video training (VTR) of health workers and digitization of health data at scale, supported by satellite communications (SatCom) technology and existing 3G mobile networks. To understand whether, and under what circumstances using digital interventions to extend maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services to remote areas of Nigeria improved standards of healthcare delivery.

Impact of COVID-19 on utilization of maternal, newborn and child health services in Nigeria: protocol for a country-level mixed-methods study.

Battling with COVID-19 and providing essential services along the continuum of care could be challenging. This study will evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on utilization of maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services in Nigeria and explore the barriers being experienced by women and their families in getting access to MNCH services, as well as other contextual factors that may have shaped the utilization of MNCH services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study will adopt an observational mixed-methods study design involving 18 health care facilities delivering MNCH services in six selected states across six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Acceptability and Potential Effectiveness of eHealth Tools for Training Primary Health Workers From Nigeria at Scale: Mixed Methods, Uncontrolled Before-and-After Study.

Background: The in-service training of frontline health workers (FHWs) in primary health care facilities plays an important role in improving the standard of health care delivery. However, it is often expensive and requires FHWs to leave their posts in rural areas to attend courses in urban centers. This study reports the implementation of a digital health tool for providing video training (VTR) on maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) care to provide in-service training at scale without interrupting health services.

Lessons from the field: delivering trachoma mass drug administration safely in a COVID-19 context.

The first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) interim guidance released by the World Health Organization recommended suspension of non-urgent community health interventions, including mass drug administration (MDA) for neglected tropical diseases. However, with no end in sight for the COVID-19 pandemic, it was crucial to find ways to restart MDA while testing measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission between health workers, volunteers and communities. Consequently, guidelines were developed for delivering MDA safely in a COVID-19 context and the training and implementation were assessed through an observation checklist.

Effects of integrated economic and health interventions with women's groups on health-related knowledge, behaviours and outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Economic groups, such as microfinance or self-help groups are widely implemented in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Women's groups are voluntary groups, which aim to improve the well-being of members through activities, such as joint savings, credit, livelihoods development and/or health activities. Health interventions are increasingly added on to existing women's economic groups as a public health intervention for women and their families.

'I will welcome this one 101%, I will so embrace it': a qualitative exploration of the feasibility and acceptability of HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lagos, Nigeria.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV in Nigeria. A key strategy in reducing transmission is to increase HIV testing uptake and linkage to treatment for those who test positive. HIV self-testing (HIVST) is an innovative strategy with the potential to increase uptake of HIV testing among key populations at higher risk for HIV.

"I think this is the only challenge… the stigma" Stakeholder perceptions about barriers to Antenatal care (ANC) and Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) uptake in Kano state, Nigeria.

Background: Despite the progress made so far in reducing mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), Nigeria still contributes significantly to the global burden of new pediatric HIV infections. The elimination target for MTCT has not been reached and the decline in new infections among all Global Plan countries from 2009 to 2015 was lowest in Nigeria. This qualitative study explores the barriers to uptake of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) intervention in Kano, the second most populous state in Nigeria.

Impact of using eHealth tools to extend health services to rural areas of Nigeria: protocol for a mixed-method, non-randomised cluster trial.

Introduction: eHealth solutions that use internet and related technologies to deliver and enhance health services and information are emerging as novel approaches to support healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Using digital technology in this way can support cost-effectiveness of care delivery and extend the reach of services to remote locations. Despite the burgeoning literature on eHealth approaches, little is known about the effectiveness of eHealth tools for improving the quality and efficiency of health systems functions or client outcomes in resource-limited countries.

Uptake of HIV self-testing and linkage to treatment among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nigeria: A pilot programme using key opinion leaders to reach MSM.

Introduction: HIV self-testing (HIVST) offers an alternative to facility-based HIV testing services, particularly for populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) who may fear accessing testing due to stigma, discrimination and criminalization. Innovative HIV testing approaches are needed to meet the goal of 90% of people living with HIV being diagnosed. This study piloted an intervention to distribute oral HIVST kits to MSM through key opinion leaders (KOLs) in Lagos, Nigeria and assessed the feasibility, acceptability, uptake of HIVST and linkage to HIV treatment.

Influence of legal status on the uptake of cannabis in young people.

Purpose Of Review: Policies that limit young people's access to cannabis may reduce early onset of use and minimize health-related harm. This review article provides an update of recent research examining the influence of the cannabis policy frameworks on the use of cannabis by young people.

Recent Findings: There are significant concerns that ongoing policy changes in favour of legalization will increase the uptake of cannabis by young people.