PEPFAR
With support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), MHRP, in partnership with the Nigerian Ministry of Defence (NMOD), ensures the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the context of a comprehensive HIV prevention effort. The program strives for the development of leadership, clinical, laboratory and logistical capabilities leading to sustainable in-country capacity and infrastructure.
In an effort to enhance capacity and improve service delivery to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDs, the program supports prevention and interventions targeted toward military and civilian populations in NMOD health facilities and barrack communities. Some of the core program areas include community outreach on sexual prevention, biomedical transmission prevention, and HIV counseling and testing. The program also trains point-of-service pharmacists on how to properly dispense ARVs, manage drug combinations and mitigate treatment failures.
A strong partnership with the Nigerian military and its large network of medical facilities and well-trained personnel creates a supportive climate and framework for program evaluations, surveillance and research.
The mil-mil partnership of Nigerian Ministry of Defence and U.S. Department of Defense (NMOD/USDOD) supports 34 military health facilities that provide comprehensive HIV care and treatment services, including HIV testing and counseling, adult and pediatric HIV treatment services (including TB-HIV), Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT), Injection Safety, Health Care Waste Management services, and appropriate laboratory support. In addition, 22 satellite sites provide PMTCT, HTC and TB-HIV services, and the Defense Reference Lab (DRL) supports viral load assays, emerging infectious disease (EID) testing, and quality assurance for 46 sites.
The technical capacity of the NMOD is continuously being strengthened to enable it to take more responsibility and ownership of the program. The program has continued to build the capacity of site staff through didactic trainings, continuous medical education, mentoring, and supportive supervision.
