REVIEW OF CONTROL OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTION IN NIGERIA.

The global scourge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is inundating, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and in particular Nigeria which is home to 10% of the world's HIV-infected persons. The target of the millennium development goal 6 is to halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015. HIV control in Nigeria was initially shrouded in denial and apathy. Subsequently, a more pragmatic approach was launched during the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo. Several policies were formulated. The national prevalence of HIV witnessed some progressive decline and is currently 4.1%. There is now improvement in both HIV awareness and counselling and testing. Greater access to antiretroviral therapy and other support services have also been witnessed with over 300,000 persons currently on drugs. Notable achievements have been recorded in prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTC). However, with increased access to antiretroviral therapy, antiretroviral drug resistance has become inevitable. Acquired drug resistance is high-82% and transmitted drug resistance ranges between 0.7 and 4.5%. The achievements were largely facilitated by international partnerships which have become more streamlined in recent years. A sustained shift to indigenously sourced financial and manpower resource has become imperative. It is also important to integrate HIV facilities with other existing health care facilities for sustainability and cost-effectiveness. In an attempt to strengthen the national response, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan launched the President's Comprehensive Response Plan for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. It is hoped that this well-articulated policy would be well implemented to significantly reverse the epidemic.

On the effect of chemically activated fine muscle afferents on interneurones mediating group I non-reciprocal inhibition of extensor ankle and knee muscles in humans.

In a previous paper it was shown that muscle nociceptive discharge depressed the activity of interneurones mediating group I non-reciprocal inhibition (or Ib interneurones) in humans [A. Rossi, B. Decchi, Changes in Ib heteronymous inhibition to soleus motoneurons during cutaneous and muscle nociceptive stimulation in humans, Brain Res. 774 (1997) 55-61.]. However, since nociceptive discharge depressed the size of the soleus H-reflex (by which Ib inhibition was tested) the question arises as to whether modification of motoneurone membrane conductance per se could depress the size of Ib inhibitory post-synaptic potentials. The results of the present study suggest that the contribution of motoneurone hyperpolarization to Ib disinhibition is negligible and that muscle nociceptive discharge actually depresses the activity of these pathways.