The United States, through the Federal Ministry of Health, National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCP), has supported the national HIV clinical mentors programme in Nigeria.
The first cohort of 19 HIV clinical mentors has completed the necessary induction training in Abuja. The clinical mentors are now equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge as they deploy to their various states.
The HIV clinical mentors programme (CMP) aims at building the clinical and programmatic capacity of healthcare workers to provide sustainable and high-quality HIV services for the achievement of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets for epidemic control in Nigeria
The CMP, which was piloted in Rivers State in 2019, is designed to increase Nigeria’s ownership of the HIV programme with a team of experienced mentors engaging with NASCP to domesticate key HIV guidelines and innovations at the facility level. This not only ensures Nigeria will maintain quality implementation of HIV/AIDS programmes, but also supports efforts to ensure the sustainability of the HIV/AIDS response in the country. The CMP will provide opportunity for continuous support to healthcare workers through the tele-mentoring, using Project ECHO video conferencing platform, and on-site mentoring, enabling implementation of national HIV guidelines with fidelity.
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According to the CDC Country Director, Dr. Mary Adetinuke Boyd, “the CMP underscores the importance of United States’ support to Nigeria to reach HIV epidemic control and highlighted how US investment is helping to build healthcare worker capacity to sustainably respond to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, COVID-19 and to augment public health response to a variety of health threats. The programme will promote practical learning during implementation of quality HIV implementation on site, leading to enhanced workforce and ensure maximum impact of the HIV programme.”
The CMP is implemented by the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC) with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health through the National AIDS and STI Control Program (NASCP).
Plans are underway for 18 states and the FCT to recruit and train state-level mentors for an enhanced and seamless HIV service delivery.