Benue State Forms Technical Team to Sustain HIV/AIDS Services Amid Funding Shift

Benue State has established a seven-member technical team to create a sustainability plan for HIV/AIDS services as international donor funding for APIN Public Health Initiatives decreases. The team, led by Health Commissioner Dr Paul Ogwuche, must identify funding gaps, prioritize critical interventions, and produce a costed action plan within seven days for SEC review.

The team will draw from the Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Service, Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, State Health Insurance Agency, APIN Public Health Initiatives, and Benue State Investment Promotion Agency.

Aber emphasized strengthening domestic financing, integrating effective interventions into government systems, and safeguarding essential healthcare services from funding disruptions. The SSG confirmed the government’s dedication to maintaining HIV/AIDS treatment access through collaboration with APIN and other partners, ensuring no patient faces treatment denial due to financial constraints.