By Eunice Emeyazia
The Delta State Government has intensified efforts to ensure the sustainability of HIV treatment and care by commencing the integration of HIV services and the enrolment of persons living with HIV into the Delta State Contributory Health Scheme.
The initiative was the focus of a two-day stakeholders’ meeting held at the headquarters of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission in Asaba, bringing together government agencies, development partners and key HIV stakeholders.
Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Isaac Akpoveta, described HIV as a major public health challenge and commended the efforts of government and development partners in reducing its prevalence over the years.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to supporting the integration of HIV services into the state’s health insurance scheme to guarantee continued access to quality healthcare.
Executive Secretary of the Delta State Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr. Hobson Rudolf said discussions on enrolling persons living with HIV into the health insurance scheme have been ongoing for months and align with global best practices.
He expressed confidence that the collaboration would strengthen healthcare financing and consolidate Delta’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading state health insurance schemes.
Principal Programme Officer of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Mrs. Ogechi Mkpuma, said integrating HIV services into health insurance is critical to reducing out-of-pocket expenses and ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment, especially as donor funding for HIV programmes continues to decline.
She noted that the shift in global funding has made sustainable domestic financing a priority, making the integration of HIV beneficiaries into the state’s health insurance scheme both timely and necessary.
Also speaking, NACA Programme Officer, Mrs. Gloria Alagba, said the meeting was designed to present a roadmap for integrating HIV services into the state health insurance scheme, gather stakeholders’ inputs, review existing practices and identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Representatives of implementing partners, including DELSACA, the State AIDS and STIs Control Programme, the State Health Insurance Agency and the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, stressed the need for sustainable financing to guarantee uninterrupted HIV prevention, treatment and care.
The two-day exercise is expected to produce practical recommendations for strengthening HIV service integration into the state health insurance scheme, with findings from Delta joining reports from other states to support the development of a national framework for sustainable HIV financing.
The meeting also featured interactive sessions and a question-and-answer segment to address concerns and build stakeholder consensus on the initiative.
