A comprehensive review of available epidemiologic and HIV service data for female sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs in select West and Central African countries.
OBJECTIVE
To identify gaps in epidemiologic and HIV service coverage data for key populations (KP), including men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), people who inject drugs (PWID), and transgender persons, in 8 West and Central Africa countries: Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, and Nigeria.


METHODS
A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using PubMed and MEDLINE. This search was supplemented by an additional search of relevant non-peer-reviewed, or gray, literature. Available data on HIV prevalence, KP size estimates, HIV prevention service targets, and HIV prevention service coverage, including the availability of population-specific minimum packages of services, were included in the review.


RESULTS
No data for transgender persons were found. HIV prevalence data and size estimates were more frequently available for FSW, followed by MSM. Only 2 countries (Ghana and Nigeria) had both KP size estimates and HIV prevalence data for PWID. The degree to which HIV prevention service targets were adopted was highly variable across the selected countries, and the collection of relevant HIV prevention service coverage data for those targets that were identified was inconsistent. Population-specific minimum packages of services were identified in 3 countries (Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria), although only Ghana and Nigeria included services for PWID.


CONCLUSIONS
Epidemiologic and HIV prevention service data for FSW, MSM, PWID, and transgender persons remain sparse, and these KP are inconsistently accounted for in-service delivery and nationally endorsed minimum packages of HIV services in West and Central Africa. The strengthening of data collection and reporting to consistently include KP and the inclusion of that data in national planning is imperative for effectively addressing the HIV epidemic.
*amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, Washington, DC; †The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Geneva, Switzerland; and ‡Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
Jack
J
MacAllister
Jennifer
J
Sherwood
Joshua
J
Galjour
Sarah
S
Robbins
Jinkou
J
Zhao
Kim
K
Dam
Ashley
A
Grosso
Stefan D
SD
Baral
D000350:Africa, Central / Q000453:epidemiology; D000354:Africa, Western / Q000453:epidemiology; D055030:Drug Users; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D060386:Sex Workers