IHVN Inducts Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora and Barr. Paul Usoro as Board Members
To strengthen its governance structure and capacity to provide quality healthcare services, capacity building, and research in Nigeria, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has inducted two eminent professionals, Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora and Barr. Paul Usoro, SAN, as members of its Board of Directors.
At the ceremony, IHVN Board Chairman Alhaji Dr. Umaru Muttallab expressed confidence in the new members’ capabilities to drive the organization’s vision forward.
“I am very excited to admit two new members to the board and these are people that have come with vast experience, one experienced in the pharmaceutical industry and research and the other, very experienced as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and this is going to boost the board of IHVN,” he said.
He expressed confidence in the new members’ contributions to making the Board more effective, efficient, and result oriented.
Prof. Ahmed Tijjani Mora is a distinguished pharmacist and academic with invaluable experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. He is a former Registrar of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).
“I am committed to ensuring the availability of drugs and pharmaceutical products for the treatment of tuberculosis and the maintenance of HIV care and I will encourage the management to engage with manufacturers to establish long- or short-term relationships. This approach would make these essential drugs more affordable for the organization and individuals living with HIV. Furthermore, there is no reason why this Institute cannot become a producer of pharmaceutical products itself. I am more than honored to join the board because of the caliber of people at the institute. They are individuals of great integrity, and I am genuinely happy to be part of this team” Prof. Mora said.
In the same vein, Barrister Paul Usoro, who was also inducted said that his diverse background will support the organization’s goals.
“My background is diverse. I sit on the board of a bank and have served on multiple boards, including financial institutions and telecommunications companies. I bring experience in governance, which is crucial for an organization like this. Combining this governance expertise with my core field and legal practice, I can contribute meaningfully in those areas. For instance, in the financial sector, we focus on objectives and goals to measure achievements. Similarly, I will apply this approach to support the institute’s initiatives.”
He added that “the institute’s objectives are noble, primarily focused on helping humankind from a medical perspective. Anything that aids humanity is worth encouraging. I am privileged to join this board and contribute in whatever way I can to advance the institute’s goals.” The IHVN board consists of seasoned, committed professionals and leaders in health, business, research, management, finance, communications and other areas who drive the Institute’s mission to ensure equitable access to quality health services through innovative and evidence-based services.
Bid Advert – Bid Advert Supply of Laboratory Items ENHANCE grant
| The Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria is seeking bidders to bid for the Bid Advert- Supply of Laboratory Items under ENHANCE grant | |
| Opening Date/ Time: | 16th January 2025. |
| Closing Date/ Time: | 5th February2025 @10:00am |
| For more on this bid, Please download the complete bid document, | |
IHVN Hosts Accountants Conference on Grant Compliance and Financial Excellence
To share knowledge, enhance compliance practices and build strong financial systems, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has organized its 3rd Annual Accountants Conference, themed “Advancing Excellent Grant Compliance” in Abuja.
Financial professionals, internal auditors, and grant managers from across the country gathered for the four-day event which explored topics like regulatory changes, managing resources in a hyper-inflation economy, and using risk assessment tools.
IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum enjoined participants to uphold excellence in their tasks and gain the skills and knowledge to uphold donor requirements and Nigerian regulations.
“Excellence is the hallmark of IHVN. As an institution, our success depends on our people. When we invest in training them to be excellent, we strengthen our systems, which helps attract and retain key donors,” he said.
Dr. Dakum added that the Institute’s centralized payment system and real-time transaction tracking have been vital in ensuring financial accuracy and timeliness. “Our commitment to transparency is a key reason why we continue to attract substantial support from major donors like the Global Fund,” he explained.
IHVN Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Olu Alabi said the conference is organized by the Institute with the support of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
“Our goal is to ensure everyone understands what is allowable and what isn’t. This helps us reduce issues and meet both our mandates and those of our donors. Participants find so much value in these sessions,” he stated.
Mr. Alabi said that participants, including sub-recipients working with, the Institute in 36 states have been updated on current regulations and federal guidelines, to enhance professionalism.
He also acknowledged the crucial support of the IHVN Executive Management, funders like CDC Nigeria, USAID, and Global Fund, and the collaboration with ICAN, which provided Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits to participants.
“This conference wouldn’t have been possible without their dedication to equipping our staff for success,” he said.
Conference Participants said that they gained invaluable insights at the meeting.
IHVN Grants and Contracts Assistant, Mr. Alonge Michael said that he “learned best practices for effective grant lifecycle management and risk mitigation techniques. This has broadened my knowledge on how to maintain grant integrity,” Michael noted.
IHVN Assistant Director Internal Audit and Compliance, Mr. Kayode Olaleye explained that the conference equipped participants with knowledge on how to adapt policies based on real-world challenges. He added that sessions on Artificial Intelligence and tax laws were especially beneficial.
Support Group Empowers Adolescents to Live Healthy with HIV
More than 9,000 adolescents who receive care in health facilities supported by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) are committing to healthy choices with help from peer support groups.
The Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) support groups promote zero missed appointments, zero missed drugs, and zero viral loads and were established by IHVN in 2019 with funding support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). Currently, OTZ groups are operational in the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Katsina, and Rivers States.
At the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Teaching Hospital (UATH), OTZ meetings begin with a pledge,
“I pledge my loyalty to myself by myself, my readiness and duty to defend my health, my devotion to zero missed appointments, zero missed drugs, and zero viral load.”
24-year-old Miriam Onu says that the meetings restored her hope when she discovered that she is HIV positive.
“When I came to the meeting, I saw that I am not the only one living with HIV and that HIV does not define me. It has been very helpful knowing that I am not alone and I am still worth every good thing despite my status. Here at the meetings, I get advice on adhering to my medication so that it can work better.”
During the meeting, Miriam also learned that she could chase her dreams. She has started sewing clothes and is pursuing a sociology degree with hopes of studying for a master’s degree and becoming a professional therapist.
“I want to impact lives like I was impacted. People need people to talk to especially these days that times are hard,” she adds.
To share what he has learned with others, Salvation. O is creating short videos and sharing them through his social media accounts.
”I can remember back then when I was not taking my medications, my viral load was high and I used to receive frequent calls from the hospital about taking medications. Meeting peers at the support group encouraged me to change my attitude towards taking medications. I now counsel people using myself as an example. I even recorded a song about HIV and tuberculosis. I am impacting lives with music. Some people will get the message better when they listen to it.”
Aside from listening to music and health talks, the adolescents play games and interact with each other during meetings as they wait for their doctor’s appointments.
Precious Ehud, a peer mentor, works with the Association of Positive Youths in Nigeria (APYIN), which has been engaged by IHVN to coordinate the provision of care services to adolescents.
She says that the adolescents are grouped into younger (10–14-year-olds) and older adolescents/young persons (15 to 24-year-olds) for age-appropriate counseling on HIV prevention, adherence to medications, and other issues. Precious encourages adolescents “not to lose hope because living with HIV is not a death sentence. You can achieve your goals.”
She adds that being a peer OTZ Champion built her confidence. She speaks to more than 40 adolescents who gather at OTZ meetings monthly and attend clinic weekly. Precious’ dream is to become an accountant, caterer, and make-up artist.
UATH Social Worker and Counsellor, Mrs. Theresa Otu supervises the provision of adolescent services and meetings in the hospital. She says that the adolescents interact freely outside the walls of the hospital and this has helped them adhere to their medications.
“The meetings help them to bond. They care for each other. As they are growing, we have some of them getting married to people outside the support group who are aware of their status. Last month, we went to the wedding of one of them. I was so happy, I was even the Mother of the Day. Some married ones are coming back for counseling on prevention of mother-to-child transmission services,” she adds smiling.
IHVN Adolescent Services Lead, Ms. Franca Akolawole says that Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) is a differentiated model of care targeted at improving treatment outcomes in Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV (AYPLWHIV) aged 10 – 24 years.
“This asset-based intervention enables adolescents, young people, their caregivers, and health workers to aspire to better HIV treatment goals. UNAIDS data reported an estimated 120,000 adolescents aged 10 – 19 years living with HIV in Nigeria in 2019. IHVN currently provides HIV care and treatment to about 9,603 adolescents Living with HIV (ALHIV) across its supported States. Adolescents living with HIV are faced with various challenges related to changes in their bodies and living with HIV. They therefore need services that are tailored to their unique challenges,” she says.
Ms Akolawole explains that, “ IHVN in collaboration with the Association of Positive Youth in Nigeria (APYIN) provides adolescent and youth-friendly health services including the scale-up of Operation Triple Zero Strategy both at the facilities and community level also plans to scale up the community activities in the new fiscal year in collaboration with the orphans and vulnerable team.”
