Plateau develops five-year plan as HIV donor funding declines

The Plateau State Government and health stakeholders are developing a five-year transition plan to sustain HIV prevention, treatment and care as international donor funding for HIV programmes in Nigeria declines.

Ibinibo Chukwuemeka, Director of Health Systems Strengthening at APIN Public Health Initiatives, said the changing funding landscape would require greater government ownership and stronger measures to sustain HIV services as donor support winds down, according to a report by the Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday.

The AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, now known as APIN Public Health Initiatives, has supported HIV prevention, treatment and care in Plateau State for about 25 years.

APIN says its programmes have expanded HIV treatment access to rural and peri-urban communities, including through primary healthcare facilities.

The proposed five-year framework is expected to guide the state in assuming greater responsibility for financing and coordinating HIV services while protecting gains recorded in prevention, testing, treatment and care.

Health officials, representatives of relevant government ministries and other stakeholders are working on strategies to mitigate the impact of the anticipated reduction in donor support and prevent disruption of services for people living with HIV.

Among the measures under consideration is the integration of HIV and AIDS services into the Plateau State Health Insurance Scheme.

Stakeholders are also exploring local sources of antiretroviral drugs to help ensure uninterrupted access to treatment as external funding declines.

The proposed transition framework would provide a roadmap for sustaining HIV interventions and clarifying the responsibilities of the state government and other stakeholders in financing and delivering essential services.

The development comes amid a broader shift in Nigeria’s HIV response towards greater domestic financing and government ownership.

In June, the Federal Government launched the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which prioritises domestic financing, expansion of health insurance and integration of HIV services into the broader healthcare system as the country seeks to reduce dependence on donor-supported interventions.

The need for alternative financing has become more pressing as international support for HIV programmes declines.

Nigeria’s existing national HIV financing framework has also identified locally produced antiretroviral drugs and increased government investment as potential ways of reducing the country’s funding vulnerability.

Plateau has previously taken steps towards greater domestic ownership of its HIV response.

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At the state’s 2025 World AIDS Day commemoration, officials disclosed that 51,370 people were living with HIV in the state as of September 2025, while 47,056 adults and 1,835 children were receiving antiretroviral therapy.

The state’s HIV response recorded 2,786 new infections and 460 HIV-related deaths in 2024, according to figures presented by the Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Nicholas Ba’amlong, in December 2025.

The success of the proposed transition will depend largely on sustained government funding, effective planning and the ability of the state health system to absorb services previously supported by external partners.

For people living with HIV, stakeholders say ensuring uninterrupted access to antiretroviral treatment and other essential services must remain central to the transition.