Prevention, Care and Treatment Department

Quality is catchword of all prevention, care and treatment services. The department has four main units for technical oversight namely, Prevention, Care and Support, Treatment, and Pharmacy Units.

We support the Government of Nigeria in providing decentralized delivery of HIV treatment, care and prevention in health facilities across the country. To engender global best practices, a learning culture is encouraged at health facilities supported by the Institute.

Achievements include,

• Conducting Clinical Quality Improvement Programs across all service areas and formation of clinical quality working groups and committees at facilities.
• Adoption of the “hub and spokes model” with continuous mentoring of all hubs on best practices being decentralized to support and mentor the spokes (mainly Primary Health Centers).
• Technical Associates are present in some hubs with high patient load of at least 1000.
• Task shifting is encouraged at sites especially those with high patient load.

Current activities include, professional development-orientation training for all new staff engaged in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, participation in National training courses, organization of international preceptorship for Physicians at health facilities/staff, Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) through clinical meetings at supported health facilities and organization of retreats with conference updates for lead providers in Nigeria

The department contributes in the review of the National ART training curricula, guideline development, strategic framework as well as job aids at various levels of the health care system in Nigeria. We also support the Government of Nigeria to adapt and adopt WHO guidelines.

There is continuous collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, relevant United States Government and UN agencies in their respective in-country implementation of prevention, treatment, Maternal Neonatal and Child Health/Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and Safe Motherhood programs.

The Adult ART Unit

The Adult Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) unit focuses on addressing the burden of adult HIV, tuberculosis and other opportunistic infections.

Activities include, expanding high quality and well- integrated ART services that are linked to effective support structures.

Doing this keeps clients in the program as they are receiving holistic service delivery at all levels of the health care system.

In the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Katsina and Rivers States, our work is to support the Government of Nigeria to offer care and treatment for HIV.

A total of 709,857 patients have been cumulatively enrolled on treatment as of June 2025.

In line with the revised National HIV Care and Treatment guidelines for effective management of adults living with HIV, we have expanded comprehensive antiretroviral treatment services to health facilities that are appropriately staffed. We also work with partners like Solina Health and Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI) to achieve state objectives.

The Adult ART unit also supports the National Task Team on anti-retroviral treatment to adapt and adopt WHO treatment guidelines.

We collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) and other United States Government agencies to offer quality services.

The Pediatric ART Unit

The Pediatric Unit of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) focuses on reducing the burden of pediatric HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

We have expanded comprehensive pediatric ART services to appropriately-staffed health facilities in Nasarawa, Katsina, Rivers states and the FCT, targeting children and adolescents living with HIV, including Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

Through IHVN partner health facilities, the unit has ensured effective on-site Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) services. Other services include, Point-of-Service Provider Initiated Testing and Counseling (where every child that walks into the clinic is tested irrespective of what brought them to the hospital, with parent's permission) at immunization points, pediatric wards, pediatric Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) and all other points of general pediatric service delivery. Also, we have strengthened supported facilities to actively seek HIV-exposed and/ or infected children.

The unit also supports the National Task Team on anti-retroviral treatment to adapt and adopt WHO treatment guidelines and collaborates with the Federal Ministry of Health, Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) and other United States Government agencies to ensure streamlining of ART formulation for children as well as procuring child-friendly fixed-dose-combination ARVs for children.

We promote integration of pediatric anti-retroviral treatment services into maternal and child health services of all supported sites through advocacy to stakeholders and site management in the spirit of encouraging ownership and sustainability.

The Unit is also involved in targeted activities for adolescents including expansion of HIV counseling and testing, adolescent-friendly services at paediatric treatment sites, and the provision of sexual and reproductive health services.

Currently being implemented is the Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) strategy which seeks to improve the treatment adolescents receive. It focuses on adolescents and young people (10 – 24 years) living with HIV to achieve three zeroes namely, Zero Missed Appointment, Zero Missed Drugs and Zero Viral Load.

The Pharmacy Unit

We focus on ensuring uninterrupted access to high quality antiretroviral medications and rational drug use through appropriate prescription, dispensing and adherence.

The Unit supports four core areas, Operational research, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, Training and Pharmaceutical Care.

Broadly, the activities include Ensuring Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) at ART Pharmacies, capacity developments of hospital pharmacists and drug management.

Ensuring Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) at ART Pharmacies

Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) requires that standard practices that provide optimum care to the patient are maintained. These include,

• Drug dispensing,
• Monitoring of side effects
• Patient counseling on use of drugs and adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

The Unit is especially proud of the efforts undertaken to stamp out the Window Dispensing System (where patient collect drugs through the window) for a more friendly and adherence-improving method – Indoor Dispensing System (IDS).

In this system, drugs are dispensed in private and secured environment to facilitate confidentiality and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy.

Capacity Development of Hospital Pharmacists

The main focus of the capacity development is to train pharmacists on HIV/AIDS treatment and care. An official training manual consistent with the Nigerian National Treatment Guidelines for the training of pharmacists has been developed. We have also developed multiple tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines to assist the pharmacists and to entrench the basic principles of GPP.

Drug Management

We have carried out renovation of facilities; drug quantification, procurement, and distribution, storage, and data management. Using procurement's standard operating procedures and guidelines, we ensure that drugs are procured through reputable international and local vendors. Also, to maintain the quality of drugs, drugs are stored in warehouses at manufacturers' recommended temperatures.

For drug distribution, we employ the use of software that allows the monitoring of stock level. This minimizes drug stock-outs or over stocking situations. We work with pharmacists to monitor the temperature of the storage facility daily for optimal quality of drugs. Managing waste is a very important component of drug management; therefore, in collaboration with NAFDAC, expired drugs are destroyed and disposed according to international guidelines.

IHVN has also been committed to ensuring that all facility infrastructures meet the highest standards for pharmaceutical service. Assessing and renovating health facilities before usage for the HIV program is usually done. We have developed a tool for site assessment with which infrastructural defects can be evaluated and necessary renovation effected in a timely manner.

Drug safety

Our focus here is pharmacovigilance and monitoring the quality of antiretroviral regimens and medication errors. Adverse drug reactions constitute a great challenge to adherence to antiretroviral drugs. Under the pharmacovigilance initiative, these reactions are reported and documented using the standard tool.

Operational Research

In the Pharmacy Division, we conduct OR in order to improve the services we provide to the patients as well as answer critical questions that affect the delivery of our services. We have published studies covering adherence to ART, drug safety, chronic care, differentiated care and pharmacovigilance.

Design and implementation of health initiatives

We design and implement health projects to increase access to drug therapy and drug safety. Some of the notable projects include the Community Pharmacy Antiretroviral Therapy Programme and the Pharmacovigilance System for detecting and reporting adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

Unit contact email: [email protected]

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (MNCH/PMTCT) Unit

Our focus is on reducing the burden of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. The unit also works to address HIV in children and enhance safe motherhood.

We have provided MNCH/PMTCT services to health facilities and their adjoining communities in over 24 states of the federation. Currently, we provide services at Nasarawa, Katsina, Rivers states and the Federal Capital Territory. Our targets are women of child bearing age, pregnant & breast-feeding women, and their families.

Services

In health facilities we support, we are ensuring that clients are cared for in the health facility and in the community. Our support services include,

• HIV Testing & Counseling (HTC),

• Testing of partners of people living with HIV/Index Case Testing (ICT) and other related laboratory services
• Provision of Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for HIV positive mothers and their exposed babies.
• Early diagnosis of HIV in infants and babies exposed to HIV
• Referrals & linkages of HIV positive mothers and exposed babies to care support services, orphans and vulnerable children services, sexual and reproductive health services (eg. family planning, and gender-based violence services).
• Safe Motherhood Initiatives (community-drive for more women to receive MNCH services, training of traditional birth attendants, referral of pregnant women from traditional birth attendants to health facilities etc.)
• Strengthening health facilities with appropriate linkages between departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics. This is to make sure that HIV positive mothers and their exposed babies continue receiving the best care.
• Supporting the Government of Nigeria to adapt and adopt WHO PMTCT guidelines and collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health, relevant United States Government and UN agencies as they implement MNCH/PMTCT and Safe Motherhood programs.
• Working with stakeholders to integrate comprehensive MNCH/PMTCT services for ownership and sustainability of the program.Unit contact email: [email protected]

The CCMP aims to ensure that children/adolescents are HEALTHY, SAFE, SCHOOLED, and STABLE.

The program targets Children and Adolescents Living with HIV and HIV exposed infants to offer community health interventions to improve their well-being.

CCMP focuses on equipping households to be resilient in the face of the socio-economic and emotional consequences of HIV/AIDS.

Services are provided in a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustainable manner using evidence-based interventions that focus on the child, household and community.

In collaboration with government of Nigeria, the CCM program is implemented in various communities through Community-Based Organizations and Faith-Based Organizations (CBOs/FBOs) in FCT, Nasarawa, Katsina and Rivers States.

These selected sub-partners are supported with funding and technical assistance to provide the following core services:

• HIV Case finding amongst children and adolescents
• Health & Nutritional interventions
• Adherence support
• Education on Positive living Practices to enhance adolescents’ well-being
• Mental Health & Psychosocial support

These activities support an AIDS-free generation through programming for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS (orphans and vulnerable children). HIV-exposed infants, children and adolescents (<18 years old) infected by HIV are targeted for the program.

CCMP further ensures that,

• Children of adults living with HIV are provided with HIV testing services
• Facilitates access to clinical and nutritional services by supporting them with accompanied/escort services for clinic appointments
• All identified HIV-positive children are placed on antiretroviral treatment
• Caregivers and HIV infected children under 18 years are offered with counselling and support to disclose their status to trusted ones and adhere to treatment.
• Referrals & linkage of services provided in the health facilities and communities are well documented.
• Psychosocial support that addresses adherence barriers and resilience are provided
• Communities are sensitized to reduce stigma and uptake HIV services
• Positive living is promoted among CALHIV and their caregivers to enhance their well-being.

To reduce the poverty level among vulnerable households IHVN is currently implementing Household Economic Strengthening (HES) activities for Income Generation.

The Household Economic Strengthening is a portfolio of interventions delivered to reduce the economic vulnerability of families and empower them to provide for the essential needs of the children they care for, rather than relying on external assistance (PEPFAR working definition, 2011). HES is implemented through:

Financial literacy training: IHVN engaged resources persons to educate 254,000 caregivers on financial literacy and management. The training empowered beneficiaries who received HES to budget, keep accurate records of sales, brand their products, network, and expand their businesses. 121 Young women at risk of early marriage were targeted for economic activities to empower them. Peer support to promote learning and knowledge sharing within the target population was encouraged. This resulted in informed financial decisions, reduced dependency and assets and savings building

Income-generating activities: IHVN implemented cash transfer strategy based on need to provide adequate support to caregivers and older adolescents to establish, boast and manage their income. This approach has enhanced their economic status and reduced their vulnerability. Through regular monitoring, mentorship visits and financial literacy, challenges were easily identified and addressed. Community leaders were involved in disbursement of resources to beneficiaries for accountability. CBOs facilitated access to microfinance for caregivers with viable Income Generating Activities (IGAs). Proper record keeping of business growth was maintained by each group leader who served as a buddy (Mentor- Mentee). A total number of over 2,000 caregivers were empowered with IGA.

Vocational training: IHVN has empowered and linked over 1,000 adolescents and young persons with different skill (ICT, Robotics, Web Creation, Photography & Videography, Make-up Artistry, Fashion Design etc). Over 700 adolescents that successfully graduated were provided with start-up kits

Linkage to Village Savings and Loans Associations: The HES implementation stimulates the creation of savings group within the communities working with community-based organizations supported. Savings groups are self-selected and self-managed groups of 15 to 25 individuals who meet regularly (usually weekly or fortnightly) to save, and borrow for a short period, paying monthly interest at a rate set by the group. After approximately 12 months, all savings and earnings are distributed back to group members. Loans can be taken to support emergencies within the family. Village Savings and Loans Associations aim to increase household financial assets and decrease household vulnerability to financial and other shocks/stresses. As a result of the huge success of this activity more VSLA groups were established across supported communities. Between 2023-2024, IHVN has supported the establishment of 3,502 functional VSLA groups with visible impact as seen below:

Program Outcomes

EUR

Total Number of functional VSLA Groups

3,502

Total number of VSLA Members

4,457

Total Savings

N50,923,387

€ 28,395.30

Loaned Provided to members

N17,201,110

€ 9,591.48

Shares out by members

N23,980,559

€ 13,371.5

The Adolescent Services

An increasing number of children who acquired HIV from birth are now reaching adolescence.

Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) are a special group of PLHIVs targeted by IHVN for the provision of customized services tailored to meet their specific challenges and needs.

Adolescence is a developmental phase between childhood (under 10 years) and adulthood (over 19 years). It is characterized by physical, psychological, and social changes at the individual level (WHO 2010).

Within this time frame, there is a wide range of developmental stages. Adolescents require innovative public health strategies that respond to their unique developmental and health needs for a successful engagement in lifelong HIV care and treatment.

Our Services

Adolescent health services at IHVN supported facilities started in 2016 with capacity building of adolescent peer educators, caregivers and health care workers in partnership with the Association of Positive Youths in Nigeria (APYIN).

These services were rolled-out at ten health facilities in eight states.

Health facilities considered were those with pediatrics population of more than 50 receiving care. APYIN members serve as peer mentors to selected peer educators in all the facilities and also supervise the program in the states.

IHVN collaborates with the Association of Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV (APYIN) participate in a road work and sensitization activity at Gbazango community in the FCT.

Our objectives are to provide integrated services that are confidential, friendly and culturally appropriate. Other focus areas include, assisting caregivers/parents and adolescents to disclose their HIV status with ease and promoting adherence to medications.

We work towards improving the number of adolescents who continue receiving care, improve and the establishment of an adolescent caregiver forum for improved interaction with adolescents. The services are also geared towards mobilizing and supporting health care providers to deliver adolescent and youth-friendly services that meet the needs of adolescents.

IHVN Implementation Strategies

• Conduct advocacy to the facilities’ management to gain their support for Adolescent and Youth Friendly Health Services (AYFHS).
• Conduct Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with selected adolescents, caregivers and health care workers to identify specific needs.
• Utilize a South-South collaborative approach with AFRICAIDS Zvandiri Teens support Network Zimbabwe and APYIN Nigeria for start-up of AYFHS at sites.
• Conduct capacity building for Peer Educators (PE), Care Givers (CG) and Health Care Workers (HCW) for better engagement and improved service delivery.
• Field education mentoring and role modeling for peer educators and mentors.
• Identification of mentors in collaboration with APYIN and health facility staff.
• Formation of support groups and caregiver’s forum.
• Conduct transition sessions in batches that address the phases of transition from Pediatric-to-Adolescents and Adolescents-to-Adult clinics.
• Strengthen linkages to community-based organizations for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) care and other services in the community
• Creation of flexible clinic hours and weekend clinics to meet the off-hour appointment schedule for the adolescents.
• Creation of dedicated hotlines in addition to WhatsApp platform group for socialization and recreation for the adolescents
• Ensure pregnant adolescents/and young women have access to prevention of mother -to-child transmission of HIV services
• Provision of games items to all sites providing AYFS for the adolescents to use during SG and clinic visits as they wait for consultation. This also helps them to bond with their peers and improves clinic visits adherence, reduces missed appointment and Loss to Follow Up (LFTU)
• Implementation of Community Adolescents Treatment Supporters (CATs) services in Rivers State. CATs attend to their peers in the community and report back to the facilities. This service is aimed at improving adolescents who go to facilities and continue receiving services there.

All these services are provided to three groups of adolescents; early adolescence (10 to 14 years), late adolescence (15 to 19 years) and young person’s (20-24 years for CATS.

The multidisciplinary team utilizes a holistic approach to provide primary, reproductive and sexual health care, STI/HIV testing and treatment, substance abuse treatment, mental health care, and health education/counseling in a one-stop-shop.

About The Violence Prevention Unit

Violence Prevention

About Violence Prevention Activities

Our program provides violence prevention services in the communities and facilities. We also support the provision of survivor centered post violence care services to survivors. These services include;

• Psychosocial counselling
• HIV testing
• Provision of timely HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis for survivors of rape.
• Treatment of injuries
• Screening and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Emergency contraceptive through referral.
• Referral for non-clinical services.
• Key services for survivors of gender-based violence. These services are termed, “minimum package.

Our program coverage spans across all the facilities in the four supported states; FCT, Katsina, Nasarawa and Rivers states. Each health facility has a designated focal person who works with other staff in provision of services to survivors.

• In addressing the challenges of under reporting, our program practices integration of violence prevention services into all HIV treatment cascades services; antenatal care, index testing, and adolescent HIV programs.
• Referrals for non-clinical services such as legal counsel, longer-term psychosocial support (eg. peer support groups), involvement of law enforcement officials and child protection services where applicable.

Download Resources

• Project PIP -POLICE INITIATED PEP

About The Care and Support Unit

Mission:

Our mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all People living with HIV (PLHIV), children and adolescents, orphans and vulnerable children and persons affected by HIV and AIDS at every health facility we support.

Care and support services extend from health facilities to communities.

Focus areas are,

• Prevention of HIV transmission/ secondary infection
• Psychological care
• Socio-economic support/Income Generating Activities (IGA)
• Food and nutrition support counselling
• Referral for human rights and legal needs

Care and Support Implementation Strategies

These include,

• Building the capacity of health care workers and mentoring them to give quality services

• Offering services (such as counselling, health education sessions) that are user friendly
• Assisting navigation as client moves from one point to another in the clinic, with proper referrals and linkage to needed services
• Developing and deploying of services data collation tools
• Working with appropriate teams to create support groups for people living with HIV
• Identifying and training People Living with HIV to serve as peer supporters
• Creating awareness about services beneficial to clients through advocacy to stakeholders, community leaders
• Developing training curricula for different cadre of care providers
• Tracking before and after clinic appointment

Care and Support Activities

Our work ensures that when clients go to health facilities we support, they are:

• Counselled and educated on HIV, positive living, prevention of transmission/re-infection
• Assessed on their current disease status (WHO staging, tuberculosis screening, Advanced HIV Disease, Viral load, functional status, nutritional status)
• Checked to monitor, spot problems early and refer appropriately
• Checked and triaged those requiring emergency or urgent attention
• Referred appropriately to services they may need within and outside the health facility (support groups, Differentiated Service Delivery models, Enhanced Adherence Counselling)

Retention

Retention to treatment requires that the client is connected to care, attending follow-up visits, and maintaining adherence to medication so that viral suppression and overall health can be achieved

• Assessed and monitored for their wellbeing at every clinic visit
• Client centred care—addressing not only medical needs but also social, psychological, and economic factors that influence staying in care
• Decentralized and integrated services, bringing care closer to clients
• Task-shared among providers improve accessibility
• Family and community engagement: involving caregivers, peers, and support groups to feel less isolated and more motivated to stay in care
• Respect and dignity in care delivery: Ensuring that services are non-discriminatory and tailored to client needs fosters trust and long-term engagement

Tracking

Tracking of people living with HIV (PLHIV) entails systematically monitoring whether individuals diagnosed with HIV are linked to care, remain engaged in treatment, and are not lost to follow-up

• Pre-clinic reminders are sent to clients expected for clinic appointment
• Identify clients who missed appointment and provide prompt tracking to return them back to care
• Verify client status and assign appropriately (transferred to another facility, reasons for absence, died or discontinued care)
• Home tracking by trained facility and community team
• Provided reengagement support: offer welcome back to care package of service that includes counselling to address barrier

Adherence Counselling Services

The success of antiretroviral therapy lies in clients’ ability to adhere to their drugs and clinic appointment. We work with health facilities to identify adherence counsellors, volunteers and peer educators to counsel clients. Job-aids are used to prepare clients to start treatment and adhere to their HIV medication.

• Provision of ongoing adherence counselling for stable clients
• Targeted virtual adherence support for newly diagnosed and unstable clients

In depth and intensive counselling is given to clients with unsuppressed viral load. Enhanced adherence counselling (EAC) is carried out and repeat viral load tests are done.

Nutrition Services

We train health care providers to conduct nutrition assessment for all clients. Clients are also provided with nutritional education.

Support Group Activities

We support the creation and coordination of PLHIV support groups and train peer educators on Interpersonal Communication (IPC) counselling. The aim is to run community support groups, a gold standard, to break barriers to stigma and discrimination.

Our activities include building the capacity of support group members to achieve self-sustainability. Others include, linking people living with HIV within the community for Community Case Management Program (CCMP) services, Income Generating Activities, and to other PLHIV groups.

About The TB/HIV Unit

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among PLHIV in Sub Saharan Africa (Nigeria inclusive) and the most common opportunistic infection

Providing treatment, care and support for HIV/AIDS includes treatment for opportunistic infections management, most prominent of which is the tuberculosis infection.

TB/HIV Services:

The TB/HIV services that we offer involves screening PLHIV for TB at every contact with health care workers, offering treatment to co-infected patients and offering PLHIV screened negative for active TB with preventive intervention. IHVN supports the National TB and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP) by promoting the integration of HIV prevention, treatment and care to the support for TB care and treatment.

We carry out TB control through interventions such as:

• TB Routine screening for all PLHIV at every contact with health care workers.
• HIV counseling and testing for clients at TB facilities.
• Early diagnosis and treatment of PLHIV with active TB.
• Ensuring that cross-referrals are made for TB patients identified in Directly Observed Therapy (DOTS) centers to receive adequate care and antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS. and cotrimoxazole preventive therapy. PLHIVs with active TB infection from ART clinics are also linked to DOTs centers for TB treatment.

• Provision of TB preventive therapy for PLHIV screened negative for active TB
• Building the capacity of Nigerian Health workers on TB/HIV integration.

STRATEGIES:

To achieve set goals, we promote capacity development through focused trainings centrally and regionally for trainees and also aims at generating a pool of trainers. The use of TB referral volunteers, case managers and peer educators at sites as a strategy has helped to improve results. IHVN also promotes routine mentoring on good clinical practice based on evidence and best practices.

Achievements (from April 2006 – December 2019)

1. PLHIV treated for TB…………………………….. 46,044
2. Patients provided TB preventive therapy (TPT)……….... 70,366
3. TB patients offered HIV Testing Services………… 200,087
4. Sites practicing TB/HIV collaboration ……………… 239

Drug- Resistant TB Services

Estimates from the WHO Global TB Report (2019) show 4.3% of Rifampicin-Resistant/Multi-Drug Resistant (RR-TB/MDR-TB) among newly detected TB cases, and 15% among previously treated cases. IHVN was the Principal Recipient (PR) for drug-resistant TB for GF New Funding Model grant. from July 2011 to December 2018. During this period, over 149,569 people with presumptive DR-TB Cases received testing for DR-TB (RRTB and or MDR/TB) in Nigeria.

Achievements (From July 2011 to December 2018):

• Number of bacteriologically confirmed, drug resistant TB cases (RR-TB and/or MDR-TB) notified in Nigeria ………………………………………………………………………… 9,036
• Number of cases with drug resistant TB (RR-TB and/or MDR-TB) that began second-line treatment in Nigeria……………………………………………………………… 6,515
• Number of service providers trained on RR-TB/MDR -TB management in Nigeria…. 3,110
• Percentage of DST (drug susceptibility testing) laboratories showing adequate performance on External Quality Assurance in Nigeria: = 100%

TB/HIV services in the Private Sector

To close the gap in the number of missing TB cases in Nigeria, IHVN is scaling up TB/HIV services in the private sector through its Global Fund Public Private Mix (PPM) grant. Both the formal (Private-for-profit, Faith-based hospitals) and informal (community pharmacists, Patent Medicine Vendors and Traditional healers) private care providers are being engaged in at least one of four schemes for TB services. Screening, diagnosis and TB treatment are provided by these private providers or through referral and linkage. All patients are counselled and tested for HIV and linked to ART services appropriately.

Other Events:

• We have acquired GeneXpert MTB/RIF machines to ease the difficulties faced by clients in early diagnosis of TB in People Living with HIV.
• IHVN also maintains ten (10) TB Reference Laboratories and has supported the NTBLCP, through the GF DR-TB Grant, to activate 27 Drug Resistant TB (DR-TB) treatment centers within the country.

Unit contact email: [email protected]

Prevention, Care and Treatment (PCT) Department

The Prevention Unit focuses on HIV Testing Services (HTS) and the management of Persons at High risk for HIV (PHRH).

Apart from offering HTS services, we provide numerous prevention services to PHRH including children and adolescents.

Key Mandate:

HIV Testing Services: Our goal is to disrupt the chain of HIV transmission by finding and offering HTS to persons who have been exposed to HIV, including those at substantial risk and linking them to HIV treatment, care and support if HIV positive. If negative, they are linked to prevention services (e.g. Risk Reduction Counselling (RRC), Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Condoms services). HIV Testing Services are offered in health facilities we support and in targeted communities utilizing strategies that enhance efficiency in locating people living with HIV.

These strategies include,

• Provider Initiated Testing and Counselling (PITC) at strategic point of services within the Healthcare facilities,
• Index Testing also known as Partner(s) Notification Services (PNS)/Family testing and Social Network Testing.
• Strategic community testing riding on Private Medicine Vendors (PMVs), Private Laboratories and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs).
• Targeted geographic hotspot testing for the PHRH
• HIV Self Test distribution and testing targeting the underserved and those at the hard-to-each location

The primary goal is to ensure that 95% of all people living with HIV know their status and are linked to core HIV/AIDs services within the four states supported under the ACTION to Sustain Precision and Integrated HIV Response towards Epidemic Control (ASPIRE) project namely Federal capital Territory (FCT), Katsina Nasarawa, and Rivers States.

Persons at High Risk for HIV (PHRH):

The mandate is to locate and reach out to the PHRH including but not limited to adolescents, men and other persons at substantial risk for HIV. The PHRH are targeted to disrupt the transmission chain of HIV by finding those living with HIV, offering prevention services and linking them to appropriate treatment, care and support services.

Approaches employed include strategically testing PHRH who are likely to be positive using a risk profile-based approach. This approach relies on behavioural and biological markers for HIV. To this end, testing is done for all PHRH presenting with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), low condom use, high risk sex, and PHRH with sero-discordant partners. We also attempt to screen for mental health issues of the PHRH.

ASPIRE Project is collaborating with some reputable Community Based Organizations towards the achievement of these objectives.

Violence Prevention

The unit is also saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the prevention of violence across all sub-populations and to provide effective post violence care and management to survivors of violence. This is implemented across the general populations within the facilities and the PHRH within the communities.