The Plateau State Government and health stakeholders are developing a five-year transition framework to safeguard HIV prevention, treatment and care as international donor funding for HIV programmes in Nigeria continues to decline.
The plan is expected to strengthen government ownership of the state’s HIV response, with greater responsibility for financing, coordinating and sustaining essential services as external support gradually winds down.
The development follows concerns over the impact of shrinking donor resources on HIV programmes, particularly the continued availability of treatment and care for people living with the virus.
Ibinibo Chukwuemeka, Director of Health Systems Strengthening at APIN Public Health Initiatives, said the changing funding landscape makes stronger government commitment and sustainable financing increasingly critical to maintaining services.
Formerly known as the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria, APIN Public Health Initiatives has supported HIV prevention, treatment and care in Plateau State for about 25 years, helping to expand access to services in rural and peri-urban communities through primary healthcare facilities.
Under the proposed framework, the state is expected to assume a greater role in financing and coordinating HIV services while protecting gains made in prevention, testing, treatment and care.
Health officials, relevant government ministries and other stakeholders are examining measures to cushion the effect of reduced donor support and prevent disruptions to services.
One of the key proposals is the integration of HIV and AIDS services into the Plateau State Health Insurance Scheme, alongside efforts to explore local sources of antiretroviral drugs to guarantee sustained access to treatment.
The framework is also expected to clarify the responsibilities of government and other stakeholders in financing and delivering essential HIV services, providing a structured pathway towards greater domestic ownership.
The move aligns with Nigeria’s broader shift towards increased domestic financing of the HIV response. In June, the Federal Government launched the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan 2026–2030, which prioritises domestic financing, expanded health insurance coverage and the integration of HIV services into the wider healthcare system.
For Plateau, the transition comes against the backdrop of a significant HIV burden. At the state’s 2025 World AIDS Day commemoration, officials reported that 51,370 people were living with HIV as of September 2025, with 47,056 adults and 1,835 children receiving antiretroviral therapy.
The state also recorded 2,786 new HIV 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.
As donor funding declines, stakeholders say the success of the five-year transition will depend on sustained government investment, effective planning and the capacity of the state health system to absorb programmes previously supported by external partners.
At the centre of the transition is the need to ensure that people living with HIV continue to have uninterrupted access to antiretroviral treatment and other essential services.
