US CDC Hosts Stakeholder Meeting In Abuja To Simplify HIV Programmes, Strengthen Public Health In Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) hosted the first day of its 5th round of stakeholder engagement meetings in Abuja on October 30th.

The two-day event, themed Strategic Pivoting Towards Program Simplification and Sustainable Public Health Intervention, focused on fostering collaboration among key stakeholders in Nigeria to improve public health outcomes.

The first day saw discussions centred around laying the groundwork for simplifying HIV programs, a crucial step towards enhancing ownership and sustainability of public health interventions across the country.

Representatives from federal and state governments, multilateral agencies, community stakeholders, and implementing partners engaged in dynamic discussions about strategies and progress related to health workforce optimization and integration.

The second day of the meeting will focus on reviewing the progress of the state-led President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program and exploring innovative models for health insurance at both national and state levels.

This emphasis on sustainable healthcare solutions is crucial for ensuring lasting impacts on Nigeria’s public health landscape.

U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., in his remarks on the first day, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to working collaboratively with all stakeholders and communities to achieve and sustain HIV epidemic control, prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks, and improve health outcomes across the country.

He commended the efforts of those working tirelessly to provide relief to Nigerians living with HIV and emphasized the importance of continued partnership and collaboration.

“Nigeria remains a model to the rest of the world on how to not only reach HIV epidemic control but also how to invest in people and communities, so they have the tools and skills to change their lives,” said Ambassador Mills.

Suzanne Theroux, the U.S. CDC Acting Country Director, highlighted the significant progress Nigeria has achieved through transformative partnerships, policies, and evidence-based public health programming.

She emphasised the importance of the ‘Getting the Data Right’ initiative, which focuses on accurately determining the number of people living with HIV who are receiving life-saving antiretroviral treatment.

This bold effort not only validates Nigeria’s HIV treatment coverage but also supports the goal of sustainable health outcomes.

“The coordinated response to recent outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, mpox and other epidemic-prone diseases reflects our collective resilience and resolve to achieve optimal health for all Nigerians,” said Ms. Theroux.

She added that “Our collaborative efforts are closing the gap for zero-dose children, combatting the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, and implementing innovations to eliminate malaria as a public health threat in Nigeria.”

The meeting exemplifies the U.S. CDC’s commitment to regularly reviewing and adapting programming to meet the evolving needs of the HIV response in Nigeria. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2025.