Our activities

What we do

The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) is a Sub-Recipient (SR) to FHI360 (the Principal Recipient) on the Global Fund (GF) National Aligned HIV/AIDS Initiative (NAHI) grant, saddled with the responsibilities to implement the community component of the grant in two (2) States (Anambra and Ebonyi).

In the first year of the 3-year grant, NEPWHAN contributed meaningfully to the control of HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 2 States through the implementation of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 strategy towards overall attainment of the 95-95-95 target by 2030. NEPWHAN ensured the engagement of PLHIV community participation, and upheld the principles of meaningful involvement of PLHIV (MIPA). Throughout the year, NEPWHAN supported the work of the Case Managers and Mentor Mothers in treatment adherence and PMTCT services at the facility and community levels. NEPWHAN also worked in the community with its PLHIV Support Groups to provide treatment adherence and psychosocial support services, through Support Group meetings, organized every two months.

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Vision

A country where PLHIV are given equal rights and privileges like every other member of the society.

Mission

To empower, strengthen and coordinate all support groups, state networks, constituencies, associations and organizations of people living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria to contribute meaningfully to the national response.

NEPWHAN was also actively involved in the coordination, retention, referrals and linkage activities through facility-based Support Groups in the 2 States. The bi-monthly Support Group meetings were actively coordinated to ensure treatment adherence, uptake of HIV services, reduction in stigma and discrimination against PLHIV, differentiated care, as well as referral and linkage to care. NEPWHAN worked in collaboration with the treatment SRs in the States, and closely with the Case Managers (CMs) and Mentor Mothers (MMs) to ensure provision of services to all clients at the facility and community levels. Huge success was recorded in the selection and engagement of Mentor Mothers in Anambra State, where NEPWHAN was fully involved in the selection processes, as most of the mentor mothers were drawn from NEPWHAN Support Groups across the LGAs in the State where the facilities are located.  However, this did not translate to commensurate achievement till the end of the year, due to delay in training the engaged MMs on their expected job roles and responsibilities on the project (the training only took place in the last quarter of the year).

Main project activities that were successfully implemented in the year are:

  • Monthly Mentoring and Supervisory Visit to facilities
  • Support Group Meetings
  • Joint Quarterly Supportive Supervisory Visits
  • Stigma Index Survey
  • Protection of Clients Rights on Stigma and Discrimination

Some challenges encountered during the year include general insecurity situation in the South East, communal clashes in some communities, poor documentation, lack of access to data in some facilities till the second semester of the year, lack of community tools, delayed training for mentor mothers, and no training for Case Manager Generalists in Anambra State. Our main recommendations are for the Treatment SRs to ensure continuous orientation is organized for the CMs and MMs, whereby the CMs are trained on their expected job tasks and deliverables. Also recommended is to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are involved in the necessary advocacy to support the implementation of the NAHI project in the implementing States.