In a significant development aimed at bolstering healthcare services nationwide, APIN Public Health Initiatives, a leading non-governmental organisation (NGO), has ramped up efforts to provide comprehensive care and treatment services to people living with HIV (PLHIV) across Nigeria.
Deputy CEO of programmes at APIN, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels made this announcement during the Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) International Women’s Day Media Roundtable in Abuja on Tuesday.
Samuels highlighted that currently funded by the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), APIN is delivering essential healthcare services to 330,471 PLHIV through 421 supported facilities, constituting approximately 20 per cent of all patients undergoing treatment nationwide.
“In addition to HIV/AIDS care and treatment, APIN extends its services to address other diseases of public health significance, including tuberculosis and malaria. Moreover, the organisation offers technical assistance to government agencies to bolster the delivery of reproductive health, maternal, newborn, and child health services, along with laboratory services,” he stated.
Recognising the critical link between nutrition and overall health, Samuels noted that APIN launched the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) project in Nasarawa State in 2022. This initiative aims to enhance the nutritional status of vulnerable populations, including pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and children under five years old.
“With its multifaceted approach to healthcare delivery and commitment to addressing diverse health challenges, APIN continues to be at the forefront of efforts to strengthen healthcare systems and improve the lives of Nigerians across the country,” he affirmed.
Senior technical advisor for prevention & community services, Dr. Olubunmi Amoo presented APIN’s women-focused interventions, highlighting successes in areas such as cervical cancer prevention, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, elimination of gender-based violence, HIV testing and treatment, orphans and vulnerable children programming and economic empowerment activities.
Communications and media relations specialist at APIN, Ms. Emerald Awa-Agwu introduced the U=U campaign aimed at increasing HIV testing, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and uptake of viral load services to achieve an undetectable viral load.
“People living with HIV who take their ART consistently can achieve an undetectable viral load, meaning the amount of HIV in their blood is too small to be detected by standard HIV tests. They are also unable to transmit HIV. Hence the name U=U,” she explained.
Awa-Agwu emphasised the importance of collaboration with the media to amplify key messages of the campaign and influence more people, especially women, to get tested for HIV, enrol in ART and remain consistent with their medications to achieve an undetectable viral load.
She disclosed that APIN’s offices are located in Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, and Plateau states, addressing diseases of public health importance and mitigating their impact using cutting-edge approaches in public health programme management, capacity building, research and health information management, in partnership with other stakeholders.
Furthermore, Awa-Agwu highlighted that APIN started as a project of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in 2000 and became an independent NGO in 2007.
