Ondo intensifies efforts to sustain HIV response

By Dayo Johnson

AKURE — The Ondo State Government has intensified efforts to establish a sustainable, government-owned response to HIV/AIDS, as stakeholders in the health sector reviewed the state’s programme performance and implementation gaps.

The review was conducted during a two-day State Annual Programme Performance Review Meeting held in Akure and supported by APIN Public Health Initiatives under the CDC/PEPFAR programme.

Participants included officials of the State Ministry of Health and its agencies, Hospital Management Board, State Primary Health Care Board, Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS, ODSACA, local government authorities, Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, NEPHWAN, development partners and civil society organisations.

The meeting provided a platform for stakeholders to assess the performance of the state’s HIV programme, identify gaps and agree on practical measures to strengthen government ownership of the response.

Discussions focused on health financing, workforce absorption, service integration, health promotion, social protection for people living with HIV and budgetary planning.

Stakeholders said strengthening the areas was critical to protecting gains recorded in HIV prevention, treatment and care while moving the state towards a more integrated health system with reduced dependence on donor funding.

The second day of the meeting featured presentations and group discussions on health insurance enrolment, HIV service integration, domestic resource mobilisation and collaboration among HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes.

Feyijimi Egunjobi, representing the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission, presented an update on the health insurance enrolment status of clients accessing public health programmes.

Participants subsequently held group discussions on facility-specific progress in HIV service integration, focusing on existing efforts, challenges and measures required to improve integration across health facilities.

Dr Dayo Adegbulu, representing the ODSACA Programme Manager, presented strategies for deepening domestic resource mobilisation and outlined the state’s plans.

Pharmacist Taiwo Adeyemi, representing the Director of Public Health, discussed areas of collaboration and forward-looking strategies for the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria programmes.

Dr Ndubisi Emenogu of APIN’s Health Systems Strengthening team presented the organisation’s broad objectives and priorities for the 2027 financial year.

The meeting underscored the need to increasingly integrate HIV services into existing government health structures, financing mechanisms and planning processes.

Stakeholders said the commitments reached would provide a framework for the state and local governments to strengthen domestic ownership of the HIV programme while sustaining access to prevention, treatment and care services.

They also stressed the importance of collaboration among government institutions, health workers, development partners, civil society organisations and communities of people living with HIV in sustaining progress recorded over the years.

Those who spoke at the meeting included the Executive Secretary and Project Manager of ODSACA, Dr Adedayo Akingbulu; member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Oluwole Emmanuel Ogunmola Suyi; Coordinating Director of Programmes, APIN Public Health Initiatives, Dr Ify Omatuelo; and Commissioner for Health, Dr Banji Awolowo Ajaka.

Others included the Director of Public Health, Dr Isaac Aladeniyi; Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof Michael Simidele Odimayo; Associate Director, Health Systems Strengthening, APIN, Dr Ibiebo Chukwu Emeka; and Pharmacist Tolubusola Ojo.

In his closing remarks, Ajaka commended the governor and participants for their contributions to the review and efforts to strengthen the state’s health system.

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