•Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State
Anambra has been selected as a potential pilot state for the implementation of the 2026-2030 National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan .
The development follows renewed collaboration between the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and development partners, reports Daily Independent.
Executive Director and Project Manager of ANSACA, Dr Nkem Okeke, who disclosed this in Awka yesterday said the state was selected during a strategic advocacy visit he made to the NACA Secretariat in Abuja.
He was received by Dr James Anenih, Director of Community Prevention and Care Services, alongside Dr Sam Anya, of the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).
He said the visit formally introduced him as the new head of ANSACA and provided a platform to strengthen coordination, deepen technical partnerships and align Anambra’s HIV response with national priorities.
Okeke said the state’s HIV strategy would prioritise expansion of awareness, prevention and testing services to grassroots communities across all local government areas, with focused interventions for key and vulnerable populations.
He also emphasised the need for data-driven programming and community ownership as critical to reducing new infections and accelerating progress towards epidemic control.
Anenih, he said had while responding commended Anambra State’s approach, describing it as “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 said, adding that Anambra was being considered for pilot implementation due to its strategic readiness and innovation-driven response framework.
Also speaking, Anya of UNAIDS he said had stressed the importance of a multisectoral approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and noted the need for stronger alignment between federal and state strategies under the “One Strategy” framework to ensure efficiency and measurable impact.
He also called for sustained collaboration among government institutions, civil society and development partners.
