Oyo Begins HIV Surveillance Survey to Strengthen Evidence-Based Prevention
Mirian Gom 
IBADAN, Nigeria – The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening evidence-based HIV prevention through improved research and data collection as preparations begin for the 2026 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey (IBBSS).
The commitment was made during the official inauguration of stakeholder training for the nationwide survey held on Wednesday at the Development Support Centre in Ibadan.
Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), Dr. Gbola Adetunji, described the survey as a vital public health initiative that will generate reliable behavioural and biological data needed to monitor HIV trends, identify service gaps and guide policy decisions.
According to him, the exercise will collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, behavioural risks, access to prevention and treatment services, HIV status awareness and treatment uptake among key populations, including female sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs.
Adetunji said findings from previous surveys revealed a significant HIV burden among key populations, making updated data critical for evaluating ongoing interventions and improving future programming.
Representing the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Mr. Joseph Terry said the IBBSS is a nationally approved survey whose protocol has been reviewed by the IBBSS Technical Working Group and endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Health.
The West Africa Centre for Public Health and Development (WACPHD), which is providing technical support, said the survey is being conducted simultaneously across 12 states.
Its representative, Mr. Chukwebuka Ejeckam, noted that the 2020 survey recorded HIV prevalence of 15.5 per cent among female sex workers and 10.9 per cent among people who inject drugs, highlighting the need for updated evidence.
About the Author
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Hope Ajayi 
Korede Abdullah 