From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Benue State Government, in conjunction with health stakeholders, has constituted a seven-member health programme sustainability technical team to design a sustainable transition plan following the winding down of international donor funding for APIN Public Health Initiatives.
The move comes as international donor funding for APIN Public Health Initiatives, formerly the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, gradually winds down its interventions in the state.
The newly designated technical team, to be headed by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, is charged with reviewing sustainability gaps, prioritising critical interventions, identifying financing opportunities and developing a realistic, costed action plan within seven days of the meeting. The plan is to be submitted through the office of the Secretary to the State Government and presented at the next State Executive Council meeting for consideration.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Deborah Serumun Aber, announced this during the APIN state programme and sustainability performance scorecard review meeting held in Makurdi at the weekend.
She said the team would comprise representatives of the Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Service, Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), State Health Insurance Agency, APIN Public Health Initiatives and Benue State Investment Promotion Agency.
Serumun commended APIN for demonstrating purposeful development cooperation, noting that more than 183,000 people received HIV treatment through supported services across 264 health facilities, alongside significant investments in laboratory infrastructure, healthcare personnel and treatment outcomes.
The SSG emphasised the need for Benue State to strengthen domestic financing, integrate successful health interventions into government systems and protect essential healthcare services from disruptions arising from changes in funding arrangements.
She reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to working with APIN and other development partners to sustain the progress recorded in the health sector, stressing that no patient should be denied life-saving treatment because of funding challenges.
Aber also acknowledged APIN’s contributions to HIV/AIDS interventions in the state, noting the importance of sustaining the achievements recorded through its programmes.
Speaking at the event, the State Programme Lead of APIN Public Health Initiatives, Mr. Enebi Achimogu, disclosed that the organisation was providing HIV/AIDS care services to more than 197,000 people in Benue State.
Achimogu explained that the services included the provision of antiretroviral drugs and other essential HIV/AIDS care interventions aimed at improving the health and well-being of people living with the virus.
He said APIN, with funding support from the United States Government, had invested significantly in the programme over the years, contributing to improved access to HIV/AIDS treatment and care across the state.
“APIN Public Health Initiatives is currently providing HIV/AIDS care services to over 197,000 people in Benue State. With funding support from the United States Government, APIN had invested significantly in the programme over the years, helping to expand access to treatment and healthcare services for people living with the virus”, Achimogu stated.
He, however, noted that funding for the programme had reduced, making it necessary for the state government to begin preparations to assume greater responsibility for sustaining the services and protecting the gains achieved.
The APIN programme lead urged the Benue State Government to commence implementation of the State Health Insurance Scheme as part of a long-term sustainability strategy, explaining that the initiative would help residents access healthcare services and reduce the financial burden of medical treatment.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, said interventions by APIN Public Health Initiatives and other development partners had significantly contributed to improving the lives of people living with HIV in the state.
Ogwuche said the state government recognised the importance of sustaining the programme and was already developing strategies to retain its workforce and maintain the essential services currently being delivered through the intervention.
He stressed the need for effective collaboration between the government and development partners to ensure continuity of care and prevent disruptions to treatment as funding arrangements changed.
The administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia recognises the importance of sustaining the programme’s achievements and is already developing strategies to retain its workforce and maintain the essential services currently provided through the intervention.
“I must tell you, there is need for continued collaboration between the state government and development partners to ensure the uninterrupted provision of HIV/AIDS treatment and care services to residents”, Ogwuche stated.
The performance review provided an opportunity for stakeholders to assess the programme’s achievements, identify sustainability challenges and develop strategies to strengthen government ownership and financing of HIV/AIDS services in Benue State.
