The Anambra State Government has enrolled no fewer than 10,384 people living with HIV (PLHIV) into the state’s health insurance scheme, in a major step toward expanding access to affordable, quality and sustainable healthcare services.
The Executive Director and Project Manager of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA), Mr. Nkem Okeke, disclosed this on Wednesday at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting in Awka convened to review the integration of HIV services into the Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme.
According to Okeke, the initiative is aimed at ensuring uninterrupted access to treatment and improving long-term health outcomes for people living with HIV across the state.
He described the enrolment as a significant milestone that reflects the state government’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and guaranteeing sustainable HIV treatment through health insurance.
Okeke noted that Anambra is now among the leading states in Nigeria implementing the integration of HIV services into health insurance programmes, a move designed to improve accessibility and reduce the financial burden on beneficiaries.
He explained that the stakeholders’ meeting focused on assessing the progress of the programme, identifying implementation challenges, sharing experiences, and developing practical strategies to improve service delivery and expand enrolment across the state.
“We reviewed the implementation of the integration of HIV services into the state health insurance scheme, shared experiences, and identified practical measures to strengthen service delivery and improve access to HIV care,” he said.
The ANSACA boss commended the progress made so far and called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners and other stakeholders to sustain the gains and extend quality HIV services to more residents.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no person living with HIV is denied access to quality healthcare, regardless of their location or financial status.
Okeke also urged residents to embrace regular HIV testing, early diagnosis and prompt treatment, stressing that eliminating stigma and discrimination remains crucial to ending the HIV epidemic in Anambra State.
He added that sustained public awareness, inclusive healthcare policies and stronger partnerships would play a vital role in improving treatment outcomes and enabling people living with HIV to lead healthy and productive lives.
