New XXXX policy in Nigeria raises the stakes -- but optimism remains scarce.

@entity1 @entity791 @entity645 @entity2953
As recently as April 1998, @entity1 at a seminar had great difficulty obtaining a copy of Nigeria's policy on @entity791 . By October, five years after the government approved its first draft, the National Policy was released to the press in a "surreptitious" manner during an annual summit of the National Council of Health. Journalists examining the 20-page document realized that it had been signed by a former Minister of Health in December 1997. This delay directly countered the recommendation of the body of experts who contributed to the draft policy that it be quickly adopted. The delay, caused by lack of political will and instability within the relevant government programs, occurred at a time when 1400 @entity1 were becoming infected with @entity645 in Nigeria every day. @entity791 activists describe the policy that was finally released as a watered-down version of the draft submitted in 1993. The policy does, however, outlaw commercial blood donations and make it an offense to transfuse unscreened blood. The policy also calls for integrating @entity645 / @entity791 and @entity2953 information in schools and encourages the local manufacture of condoms as well as the distribution of condoms and educational materials. In addition, the policy bans compulsory @entity645 testing except for nationals of countries that require the testing of Nigerians for any reason. @entity645 test results are to be kept confidential, and @entity1 are to receive counseling. The policy does not offer details about how these provisions will be funded.
