Abuja: The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has commenced training of health workers to accelerate the uptake of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), including Lenacapavir, for HIV prevention. Organised by the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STI Control Programme (NASCP) and WHO, the three-day National Training of Trainers began on Tuesday in Abuja, with participants drawn from 18 northern states.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr Mya Ngon, Cluster Lead for Disease Prevention and Control at WHO Nigeria, emphasized the importance of the training in strengthening Nigeria’s HIV prevention workforce. The initiative aligns with WHO’s mandate to support member states in achieving universal health coverage and strengthening health systems. Ngon highlighted that the training occurs at a crucial phase in Nigeria’s HIV response as the country scales up oral PrEP, long-acting cabotegravir, and introduces innovations like Lenacapavir.
Ngon underscored the necessity of building a skilled workforce to deliver effective HIV prevention services nationwide. She mentioned that training a new cadre of national and state-level trainers to disseminate quality PrEP services across Nigeria represents a vital investment. WHO is providing technical and financial support to ensure adherence to global and national guidelines in delivering high-quality PrEP services.
The Lead for PrEP at NASCP, Mr Taiwo Olakunle, noted the training’s role in expanding the pool of master trainers across the country. He pointed out that Nigeria had an estimated 1.9 million people living with HIV as of 2024, with a prevalence of 1.3 percent among persons aged 15 to 49. Olakunle also highlighted the decline in new infections from 110,000 in 2015 to 48,000 in 2024, although unprotected heterosexual intercourse remains the primary mode of transmission.
Mr Umar Ibrahim, Programme Officer at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), emphasized that scaling up PrEP is a priority under Nigeria’s national HIV prevention strategy. A facilitator, Ms Adaobi Olisa of Root to Rise, stressed the importance of building national capacity and improving service quality to support the introduction of new prevention options. She noted that trained participants would return to their states to cascade knowledge and improve access to prevention services.
Sokoto State AIDS Programme Coordinator, Mr Wadata Hali, and Dr Mohamed Hamman, Adamawa State AIDS, STI and Viral Hepatitis Control Programme Manager, both expressed optimism that the training would enhance Nigeria’s progress toward epidemic control and strengthen HIV prevention systems at the state level.