Anambra is being considered as a prospective pilot state for the execution of the 2026-2030 National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan.
Daily Independent says that this development follows renewed collaboration between the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and development partners.
Dr Nkem Okeke, Executive Director and Project Manager of ANSACA who made this known in Awka yesterday said the state was chosen during a strategic advocacy visit he paid to the NACA Secretariat in Abuja.
He was met by Dr James Anenih, Director, Community Prevention and Care Services and Dr Sam Anya, of the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).
He described the visit as a formal introduction of himself as the new head of ANSACA, providing a forum to increase coordination, deepen technical collaborations, and align Anambra’s HIV response to national priorities.
Okeke said the state’s HIV plan would prioritise the expansion of awareness, prevention and testing services to the grassroots communities across the local government areas with focal interventions for the critical and vulnerable groups.
He also underlined the criticality of data-driven programming and community ownership in lowering new infections and fast-tracking progress towards epidemic control.
He responded by commending Anambra State’s strategy as being “clear, energetic and well-aligned” with Nigeria’s evolving HIV prevention priorities.
“We are formally presenting the National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan (2026–2030) to Anambra,” he had stated adding that Anambra was being picked for pilot implementation because of its strategic readiness and innovation-driven response framework.
Anya of UNAIDS, also emphasized the necessity for a multisectoral approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, and highlighted the need for better convergence of federal and state plans under the “One Strategy” framework for efficiency and demonstrable impact.
He also advocated for continued collaboration between government institutions, civil society and development partners.
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