Description

The paper empirically evaluates the extent to which poor access to micro credit and HIV/AIDS management in Sokoto metropolis may deleteriously affects the ability of Nigeria as a country to achieve its developmental vision by the year 2020. To this end, a total number of 37 HIV/AIDS patients were randomly selected from People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in the metropolis. Results from descriptive analysis disclosed that 57% (out of only 16 respondents who applied for the loan facility) have accessed credit from MFIs, which they mostly described as though helpful but inadequate. Chi-square test result (.60) confirms that there is significant positive relationship between access to credit from MFIs and the management of HIV/AIDS. The correlation result (.97) is further found to have established a significant relationship between the amounts needed and spent by the patients on HIV/AIDS medications. The results therefore imply that providing PLWHA with adequate and easy access to credit would not only enable them to cross the poverty line but also better able to manage their HIV/AIDS challenges effectively. The paper concludes that access to micro credit from MFIs significantly eases patients’ difficulties in the management of HIV/AIDS disease. Owing to this, the paper finally recommends that government in conjunction with the management of MFIs should consider making credit facilities to HIV/AIDS patients readily available, affordable and accessible as same will go along way in reducing their stigmatization and meeting the country’s vision by 2020 and of course that of MDGs by 2015.