Anambra to serve as pilot for national HIV prevention plan

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By Obi Madu

Anambra State has been selected as a pilot state for the national HIV prevention plan following the state's steady progress in the fight against HIV and Aids.

The Executive Director/Project Manager of the State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), Dr. Nkem Okeke, said during a strategic advocacy visit to the headquarters of National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in Abuja, reinforced Anambra State’s commitment to advancing Nigeria’s HIV response.

He was received during the visit by Dr. James Anenih, Director of Community Prevention and Care Services at NACA, alongside Dr. Sam Anya of UNAIDS.

While in Abuja, Okeke assured that he would provide a platform to deepen national collaboration, strengthen technical partnerships, and align Anambra State’s HIV response with national priorities.

This, he added , will position Anambra as a leading model for translating national policy into impactful, community-level results.

During engagement with NACA officials, Dr. Okeke articulated a forward-looking vision focused on expanding HIV awareness, prevention, and testing services to the grassroots across all the 21 local government areas in Anambra State.

He emphasized targeted interventions for key and vulnerable populations, data-driven programming, and community ownership as critical pillars for reducing new infections and accelerating progress toward epidemic control.

In response, Dr. Anenih, who spoke for the Director-General of NACA, commended the clarity, energy, and strategic direction of the Anambra HIV/ AIDS response, noting its strong alignment with Nigeria’s new HIV prevention priorities.

A major highlight of the visit was the formal presentation of the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan (2026–2030) to the ANSACA Executive Director.

In his contribution, Dr. Sam Anya of UNAIDS underscored the importance of a truly multi-sectoral response, stressing alignment with the one strategy framework that integrates national and state-level HIV efforts.

He highlighted the need for sustained collaboration across government, civil society groups, and development partners to ensure efficiency, accountability, and measurable impact.

Okeje's visit was seen as a significant step toward stronger federal-state synergy and signaled a renewed era of collaboration, innovation, and technical support.