By Obianuju Isima
The Executive Director of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), Dr. Nkem Okeke, says the state is set to attract about $1 million in support to strengthen its HIV response, describing the move as a significant step toward expanding prevention, care and treatment services across Anambra.
The announcement, made on June 18, came through a WhatsApp status update by the ANSACA boss, in which he expressed optimism that ongoing engagements with development partners and global health funding agencies would yield the expected support to scale up HIV intervention programmes in the state.
According to him, if secured, the funding will be channelled into key intervention areas, including expanded HIV testing and counselling services, improved access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and strengthened prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes.
He noted that the intervention would also support intensified community sensitisation campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination, as well as targeted outreach to vulnerable groups, including young people and other high risk populations.
Dr. Okeke explained that part of the proposed support would strengthen data collection systems and monitoring frameworks to ensure a more coordinated and effective HIV response, adding that the funding would help bridge existing gaps in the state’s HIV programme, improve early diagnosis and treatment coverage, supporting efforts to reduce new infections.
“It would also deepen collaboration between government institutions, non-governmental organisations and international development partners in the health sector, observing that state level HIV programmes in Nigeria increasingly rely on external funding from global health partners to complement limited domestic health budgets, noting that such partnerships remain vital to sustaining HIV interventions, even as concerns persist about long term financial sustainability”, he said.
However, he cautioned that successful implementation would depend on strong accountability systems, transparent fund management and equitable distribution of services across both rural and urban communities.
He stressed the need for clear sustainability plans to ensure continuity of programmes beyond donor funding cycles, adding that if the $1 million support is finally secured, it would further strengthen Anambra’s HIV response framework, advancing the state’s broader goal of achieving effective control of the epidemic through expanded access to prevention, treatment and care services.
Obianuju Isima is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
