The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) was established in 2004 as a not-for-profit organization to address the HIV/AIDS crises in Nigeria through the development of infrastructure for treatment, care, prevention, and support for people living with and those affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. It is also established to implement scale-up of the US President Emergency Fund for AID Relief (PEPFAR) program and conduct research and training to promote quality evidence-based health systems strengthening.

As a model local partner organization, it is also structured to maintain linkages with international and local organizations, especially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IHV-Baltimore and the University of Maryland and Global Funds for Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria, to promote capacity development and collaboration within the health sector in Nigeria. IHVN also conducts research and training in research methodologies and ethics intended to enhance the capacity of Nigeria to effectively mitigate HIV/AIDS,cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.

Click here to view IHV-Nigeria Structure & Mission

The Institute shares a common mission of service, teaching, and research with the Institute of Human Virology of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, USA which has Dr. William A. Blattner, Director of IHV’s Epidemiology and Prevention Division, as Principal Investigator of ACTION Project and a member of the Board of Directors of IHVN.

Many of the activities of the Institute are funded by awards through the University of Maryland Baltimore. Examples include awards from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to implement the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a research project focused on new HIV infections as well as an award from the United States National Institutes of Health, Fogarty AIDS Training and Research Program to train Nigerian research scientists.

In addition, IHVN is collaborating locally to support prevention, treatment and care for people living and affected by HIV/AIDS in Nigeria through its PEPFAR-funded AIDS Care and Treatment in Nigeria (ACTION) Project.  IHVN supports the Government of Nigeria through collaboration and capacity building with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA). IHVN also implements the Global Fund (GF) and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) programs as Sub-Recipient to NACA, National Malaria Control Program of the FMOH. Other activities of IHVN include the Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) that focuses on building Nigeria’s research capacity, while the Reaching Acute Cases of HIV (REACH) Project and Doris Duke Foundation are research projects.

The Institute, which as of March 2006 was supporting 7 treatment sites in 5 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, now supports treatment sites comprising of primary, secondary and tertiary health centers in 25 states. 16 of the hospitals it supports are University Teaching Hospitals. In addition, IHVN has 5 regional training laboratories to support indigenous quality control/assurance activities, provide advanced laboratory training, and support specialized activities such as viral sequencing for drug resistance determination. The two national reference laboratories in Jos and Zaria are for coordination of external DBS proficiency testing for all EID testing labs in Nigeria and for the diagnosis of TB and multi-drug resistant TB using the newly established BSL3 laboratory at the National TB and Leprosy Training Center in Zaria, to address the emerging threat of multiple drug-resistant TB, fueled by the HIV epidemic. IHVN, which has expanded activities to meet the growing public health challenges in Nigeria, has grown into an organization of about 349 staff members, 95% of whom are Nigerians.

Click here to view Affliated Teaching Hospitals

It has delivered ARV services in 87 treatment centers, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in 125 sites and tuberculosis (TB) services in 81 sites. The Institute has 128 HIV counseling and testing (HCT) service centers in the country.

IHVN's implementation framework is based on sustainable local capacity development that empowers health care workers with quality training and mentoring in the areas of health care delivery, human resource development with an emphasis on task-shifting, healthcare technologies, health information systems, health policy and management, and healthcare financing. To achieve sustainable impacts IHVN is developing local experts in treatment, care and laboratory disciplines through regional and national clinical laboratory training centers. With the support of PEPFAR funding and in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, IHVN has established 11 PCR labs across the six geo-political regions of Nigeria.

Click here to view ACTION Scale-up efforts

As of 30th June 2011, the Institute has provided 187,996 patients with care and support for HIV/AIDS out of which 122,153 are receiving ARV drugs and treatment on the Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. In addition, 902,304 people including pregnant women have been counselled, tested and given results of their HIV status. IHVN/ACTION is also providing care and support to 42,109 orphans and vulnerable children.