The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) was established in 2004 as a not-for-profit organization to address the HIV/AIDS crises in Nigeria through the development of infrastructure for treatment, care, prevention, and support for people living with and those affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. It is also established to implement scale-up of the US President Emergency Fund for AID Relief (PEPFAR) program and conduct research and training to promote quality evidence-based health systems strengthening.
As a model local partner organization, it is also structured to maintain linkages with international and local organizations, especially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), IHV-Baltimore and the University of Maryland and Global Funds for Tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria, to promote capacity development and collaboration within the health sector in Nigeria.
IHVN also conducts research and training in research methodologies and ethics intended to enhance the capacity of Nigeria to effectively mitigate HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases. The activities of the Institute are funded by international and local organizations which include:
Programs
Locally, IHVN apart from being a Principal-recipient to the Global Fund,is also a Sub-recipient to the National Malaria Control Program of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to carry out the Global Fund Malaria Grant. In addition, it is implementing Health System Strengthening as Sub-recipient to the National AIDS Control Agency (NACA).
In addition, IHVN is collaborating internationally and locally to support prevention, treatment and care for people living and affected by HIV/AIDS in Nigeria through its PEPFAR-funded AIDS Care and Treatment in Nigeria (ACTION) Project which is now ACTION-Plus. IHVN supports the Government of Nigeria through collaboration and capacity building with the Federal Ministry of Health
(FMOH) and the National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA). IHVN also implements the Global Fund (GF) and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) programs as Sub-Recipient to NACA, National Malaria Control Program of the FMOH.
Other activities of IHVN include the Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP) that focuses on building Nigeria's research capacity, while the Reaching Acute Cases of HIV (REACH) Project and Doris Duke Foundation are research projects.
What They Do
IHVN, which has expanded activities to meet the growing public health challenges in Nigeria, has grown into an organization of about 305 staff members, 98% of whom are Nigerians. It has delivered ARV services in 75 treatment centers, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in 144 sites and tuberculosis (TB) services in 75 sites. The Institute has 138 HIV counseling and testing (HCT) service centers in the country.
IHVN's implementation framework is based on sustainable local capacity development that empowers health care workers with quality training and mentoring in the areas of health care delivery, human resource development with an emphasis on task-shifting, healthcare technologies, health information systems, health policy and management, and healthcare financing.
To achieve sustainable impacts IHVN is developing local experts in treatment, care and laboratory disciplines through regional and national clinical laboratory training centers. With the support of PEPFAR funding and in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, IHVN has established 11 PCR labs across the six geo-political regions of Nigeria.
To date, the institute has provided 222,268 patients with care and support for HIV/AIDS out of which 147,999 are receiving ARV drugs and treatment on the Emergency Plan for AIDS relief. In addition, 2,101,689 people including pregnant women have been counseled, tested and given results of their HIV status. IHVN/ACTION is also providing care and support to 69,044 orphans and vulnerable children.
