About 80 health workers from 32 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, have been trained to expand access to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
In a statement on Thursday, the organisers said the initiative supports the priorities of the federal ministry of health and social welfare and Nigeria’s goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
The training was government-led, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and funded by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF).
A gynaecologist in Kaduna State? Dr Aminatu Makarfi Umar, said HIV prevention should be part of routine care for women who may benefit from it.
She said, “Every pregnant woman at increased risk of HIV deserves to know her prevention options..I will make sure this becomes part of routine care in my clinic.”
PrEP is medicine taken by people who do not have HIV to reduce their risk of acquiring HIV.
The statement said the training brought together doctors, nurses, pharmacists, programme officers, academics and community representatives.
The 80 participants are expected to train other providers in their states and facilities, expanding the number of frontline health workers to provide HIV prevention counselling and PrEP services.
It said early follow-on training has reached 90 participants in Benue State, 118 in Taraba State and 26 in Ekiti State.
“Our pool of master trainers was not enough to meet demand,” said Taiwo Olakunle, PrEP Lead at the national programme. “This training expands that pool and equips participants to train others.”
The statement said the course was informed by a 2025 national PrEP assessment conducted by the national programme and the WHO.
“Offering the full range of options is part of patient-centred care,” said Samiyu Dingari, a pharmacist from Adamawa State. “It is not just about dispensing what we are used to.”
The WHO Team Lead for Disease Prevention and Control, Dr Mya Ngon, said, “Training is the starting point. What matters is how this translates into consistent, respectful and evidence-based care.”