The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Global AIDS Coordinator, Amb. Dr. John Nkengasong has commended the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) and Maitama District Hospital for providing quality prevention, care and treatment services to about 3,000 people living with HIV in the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr. Nkegasong said this during a supervisory visit of the PEPFAR Office of Global Health Security and Diplomacy to the hospital.
“PEPFAR is proud to stand with those in need. Maitama District Hospital and IHVN is working to prevent HIV infections. The work you are doing is lifesaving. We are happy to see that PEPFAR is making a difference in their lives,” he said.
Dr Nkengasong was represented by the Deputy Coordinator for Program Quality of the Office of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), Dr. Kainne Dokubo who toured the HIV service delivery points at the hospital and interacted with women living with HIV who have benefited from prevention of mother-to-child transmission services.
Earlier, IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum said that PEPFAR support through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ensured that 72 HIV-exposed babies whose mothers accessed HIV services in the facility in the past year are HIV-free.
“It is a privilege to have you with us. We thank you for funding the HIV program through taxpayers money to provide lifesaving treatment for many. We are also grateful to CDC for the profound technical support and guidelines.”
The Chief Medical Director of Maitama District Hospital, Dr. Rita Idemudia also thanked the visitors for supporting HIV services in the facility and expressed her desire for more collaboration to improve health delivery to clients. She said IHVN has collaborated with the hospital for 17 years.
The visiting team included the CDC Global Division Director HIV and TB, Dr. Hank Tomlinson, PEPFAR Acting Deputy Coordinator, Ms Jasmine Buttolph and PEPFAR Country Coordinator, Funmi Adesanya. The USCDC Nigeria team led by the Acting Country Director Dr Susanne Theroux
