The Anambra State Government has inaugurated a State Key Population Advisory Committee to strengthen the HIV response.
The committee is expected to improve access to prevention, treatment, care and harm-reduction services for communities considered particularly vulnerable to HIV infection.
It was inaugurated by the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), in collaboration with the Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative (AHNI), during a community dialogue.
The event brought together representatives of security agencies, health institutions, government, community-based organisations and key population networks to identify barriers to HIV services and improve coordination among stakeholders.
READ ALSO: PSN Seeks Pharmacists’ Inclusion Into Healthcare Systems
The committee is expected to provide a structured platform for dialogue between health authorities, security agencies and key population communities, while strengthening referrals and access to HIV prevention and treatment services.
Speaking at the event, ANSACA Executive Director and Project Manager, Dr Nkem Okeke, said the initiative was designed to promote a more coordinated, evidence-based and effective HIV response in the state.
Okeke said the intervention was focused on public health and should not be interpreted as promoting any particular lifestyle.
“This is not about promoting anyone’s lifestyle. It is about preventing HIV infections, keeping people on treatment, protecting public health and saving lives,” he said.
He urged security agencies to understand the public health dimension of HIV interventions, while calling on health institutions to recognise the security environment in which services are delivered.
Okeke also encouraged key population communities to understand their responsibilities and work with relevant stakeholders to support the state’s HIV response.
“ANSACA will continue to provide the platform for these interests to work together. We cannot end AIDS by leaving populations most vulnerable to HIV behind,” he said.
He charged committee members to uphold professionalism, confidentiality and mutual respect in carrying out their responsibilities.
Okeke said Anambra remained committed to achieving zero new HIV infections by 2030, adding that the committee would contribute to the goal by improving collaboration and coordination among stakeholders.
The inauguration forms part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s HIV response by ensuring that populations facing barriers to healthcare can access prevention, testing, treatment and care services.
The state agency said the committee would continue to provide a platform for stakeholders to identify and address barriers to HIV services and improve the effectiveness of interventions across Anambra.
