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The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) is celebrating 20 years of “excellence in public health implementation, capacity building and research.”

IHVN was incorporated in October 2004. It started with the implementation of a grant by Professor William Blattner, who was the Director of the Epidemiology Division of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Institute of Human Virology.

The Institute was established to outlast the grant and address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Nigeria by developing infrastructure for treatment, care, prevention, and support for people living with and affected by HIV. IHVN has expanded its services to other infectious and non-infectious diseases as it continues to provide quality health services, capacity building, and research with guidance from a Board of Directors consisting of seasoned and committed professionals and leaders in health, business, research, management, finance, communications, and other areas.

Since 2004, IHVN has provided HIV testing services to more than 18 million people, life-saving antiretroviral treatment to more than 600,000 people, trained over 50,000 healthcare workers, and provided tuberculosis services to more than 300,000 individuals.

As the Institute commemorates this milestone, IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum said, “Some of the achievements can only be described in terms of beneficiaries that have come under the support of IHVN.”

Dr. Dakum added that IHVN has utilized financial support from funding agencies and partnership with all levels of government, the public and private sector, to put smiles of the faces of many.

The CEO praised the staff for their support, the University of Maryland for its technical guidance and stakeholders for their collaboration. He called for continued partnership in addressing the health needs of many more people in Nigeria and West Africa.

The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has showcased its commitment to Learning and Development (L&D) at the recent Champions for Talent Development (CTD2024) conference, themed “Igniting Sustainable Development through Learning and Development.” The conference gathered key stakeholders, policymakers, and industry experts to explore the pivotal role of L&D in fostering sustainable national development.

IHVN Program Manager L&D Department Bang Rwang, emphasized that the conference focused on examining the relationship between L&D and sustainable development. “Our participation at CTD2024 underscores how learning and development can enhance employability, creativity, and innovation,” she stated. The event featured keynote talks, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, allowing participants to share best practices and propose actionable strategies for strengthening the development agenda.

Secretary of the Abuja Chapter of the Learning and Development Network International (LDNI), Kate Pamsemlek highlighted the conference’s impact, “we identified significant opportunities for growth but stressed the need for a strategic approach to influence policy and implementation.” She noted the importance of collaboration among practitioners, professionals, and policymakers to ensure sustainable development through effective education and skills training.

The conference also addressed pressing issues, including the “Japa syndrome”—the emigration of skilled professionals—which has created skills gaps in the health sector.

“We’re excited to build on the momentum generated here,” Pamsemlek added. “Together, we can create a meaningful impact in the health sector and ensure a sustainable future for the next generation.”

“As IHVN continues to lead in health service provision and capacity building, its active role in forums like CTD2024 illustrates a robust commitment to fostering a culture of lifelong learning essential for national development. IHVN aims to tackle these challenges through enhanced capacity building and partnerships with other health organizations,” Mrs Rwang said.

University of Abuja Students Pay Courtesy Visit to IHVN

About 100 Medical Laboratory Science students from the University of Abuja have paid a courtesy visit to the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN) Campus to gain firsthand insights into healthcare research. During the visit, the students toured the campus and participated in interactive sessions with laboratory and research experts at the Institute.

Executive Director of the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) Prof. Alash’le Abimiku shared the history of IHVN and urged the students to work hard.

 “We started as a small organization with about ten staff but now, we have a capacity of over 600 staff. That is just to tell you the power of new beginnings. If you have a passion, pursue it. This is a moment of partnership; partnership is important in growth and this visit to the institute will build your resilience to continue to chase your dreams” she added.

IHVN Deputy Director of Laboratory Services, Mrs. Petronilla Ozumba highlighted some of the successes of the Institute in the country including, strengthening laboratory infrastructure, promoting quality diagnosis, enhancing capacity building in Nigeria and beyond, and implementing interventions to strengthen laboratory diagnostics and surveillance. Mrs Ozumba added that IHVN has also supported health facilities for integrated HIV/TB and priority disease diagnosis for patient management, supported the establishment of six Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratories, a National Equipment Calibration Canter, and provides technical assistance to the External Quality Assurance center.

The students toured various laboratories to learn about ongoing research projects, disease surveillance methods, and the technologies used in testing and diagnosis. One of the students, A first-year student, Isah Aisha Sophia said she is inspired by the work done in the Institute  “This experience has shown me how important research and technology are in tackling public health challenges in real-time. I also love the beautiful structure IHVN has here.”

Another student, Yusuf Mulikat Onize said the visit is a great learning experience. “I love the equipment and the work that goes on in the laboratories, I have been inspired to work hard and pass so I can work in a laboratory when I am done with school”

During the interactive session with IHVN staff, the students discussed the institute’s partnerships with international health organizations, the challenges of managing large-scale public health interventions, and the future of healthcare delivery in Nigeria. The discussion also explored career opportunities for young professionals interested in health research and public health management.

The Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Allied Health Science at the University of Abuja, Prof Khadijat Toyin was represented by the Deputy Dean of the Faculty, Dr Chinedum Ahaiweh during the visit. She commended IHVN for its contributions to Nigeria’s healthcare landscape. “This visit has been educational and eye-opening for our students. The critical work being done here serves as a beacon of hope for future healthcare practitioners,” she remarked.

 The Head of Department of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Dr. Charity Ndidi, and some lecturers were also in attendance.

The International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has met with community-based organizations to discuss the BRILLIANT HIV Vaccine Consortium project.

The BRILLIANT Project is funded by USAID and seeks to spearhead HIV vaccine development, and conduct pre-clinical studies to determine promising vaccines and finally conduct clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines in humans. The project runs from 2023-2029 in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa.

At the meeting, the community stakeholders in Abuja, the Nigerian Project’s Principal Investigator, and IRCE Executive Director, Prof. Alash’le Abimiku stressed the need for accurate information dissemination about HIV Vaccines.  She said that Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) have a role to play in advocating for HIV prevention strategies such as abstinence and safer sex practices.

The Principal Investigator elaborated that the project has a multi-phasic approach from Phase 1 to Phase 4 starting with low-risk populations as initial participants to test safety and immunogenicity, and progressively and extending to high-risk populations in subsequent phases to assess how well the vaccine protects against infection.

She indicated that the prevalent HIV subtypes in West Africa, which is sub-type G and CRF02 recombinant, will be considered during the development of the vaccine candidates.

The meeting was also to assess the capacity and organizational structure of the community-based organizations for partnership while establishing pathways for the implementation of additional activities emerging from the BRILLIANT consortium.

The Country Lead for the Community Engagement Advocacy and Communications (CEAC) Workstream, Mr. Musa Aminu, guided the community-based organizations through strategic approaches aimed at enhancing community engagement and effective science communication. He explained that strategic approaches to be identified include, mobilization of gatekeepers, and creation of communication materials in local languages, including resources adapted from the broader consortium CEAC.

The six (6) CBOs present included the International Centre for Advocacy on Rights to Health (ICARH), Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in NIGERIA (NEPHWAN), Catholic Action Committee on HIV/AIDS (CACA), AFRIhealth Optonet Association (AHOA), Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI), and Jomurota Community Care Initiative (JCCI). Each CBO provided an overview of their history in HIV prevention programs and clinical trials, enabling the BRILLIANT study team to inquire about their experiences, capacities, and the specific populations targeted for the BRILLIANT study.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Distinguished Senator Ipalibo Harry-Banigo has expressed her commitment to using data on stillbirths in Nigeria to advocate for and enforce forward-thinking policies to positively shape the future of maternal and child health care in Nigeria.

Senator Harry-Banigo stated this at an event hosted by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) to launch a still-births dashboard developed and published on the Federal Ministry of Health website by the Improving Nigeria’s Capacity to Use Data of Registered Stillbirths for Decision Making Project (SPEED Project) implemented by the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) at IHVN.

She revealed her delight in partnering with IHVN to use registered stillbirth data in Nigeria for decision-making.

“The dashboard is a vital resource for decision makers to strategically respond to still-birth needs and trends with precise interventions. Every baby deserves a chance to life. Every baby has a destiny to fulfill, that is why we are here to support this wonderful initiative,” she said.

Senator Harry-Banigo added that she would utilize her oversight duties to ask the necessary questions for stillbirths to be prevented. “Together we can embark on this journey. It is a multi-sectoral project that will involve communities,” she said.

Also speaking at the event, SPEED Principal Investigator, Ms Oghome Emembo said that the project utilized quantitative data from 2014-2023 on the FMoH DHIS database from Primary Health Centers across the country.

Findings from the data analysis revealed that Nigeria’s stillbirth rate is currently twice the expected target per Every Newborn Action Plan (ENAP) global target of 12/1000 total births by 2030. It also showed that the majority of reported stillbirth occurrences are in the Northwestern part of Nigeria with high rates in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kano States. Additionally, only Ogun and Osun states have achieved a stillbirth rate below the 12/1000 total births in Nigeria.

Ms Emembo urged states to act immediately to address stillbirths in Nigeria. “Approach the issue with a learning strategy. There has to be consultation, knowledge transfer, and learning from Osun and Ogun states. There are reasons why the rates there are much better,” she said.

Officials from FMOH, the National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA), the World Health Organization, and Civil Society Organizations gave remarks on action plans in utilizing the analyzed data to prevent stillbirths in health facilities and communities.  

Co-Implementing partners of Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health programs, stakeholders, and the media also attended the launch which held at the IHVN Campus in Abuja.

SPEED Project is funded by Vital Strategies Inc – Bloomberg Philanthropies Data 4 Health Initiative. It is tasked with collaborating with FMOH to translate stillbirths data for policy impact. One of the outputs of the project is to publish a stillbirths dashboard on the FMOH website as a Digital Analytics and Visualization tool to improve visibility and accessibility to stillbirth data for decision-making.