Nigeria has successfully enrolled over 6.5 million pregnant women in its triple elimination programme, marking a major milestone in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis.
Mr Tajudeen Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), Global Fund, disclosed this at the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting was convened by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Ibrahim said the achievement reflects improved data management, expanded health facility coverage, and targeted interventions across the country.
He noted that Nigeria previously lagged behind some West African countries in reaching pregnant women with essential health services.
According to him, 99 per cent of pregnant women were tested for HIV in 2025, surpassing the national target of 95 per cent, while parental and partner testing reached 95 per cent.
He emphasised that reaching over 6.5 million women represents the largest effort to date in preventing mother-to-child transmission of these diseases.
He added that Nigeria recorded 42,000 new HIV infections in 2025, while antiretroviral (ARV) coverage stood at 77 per cent, highlighting areas requiring intensified efforts.
He said the initiative, alongside other innovations, would help Nigeria transition from basic to quality healthcare at all levels of the system.
Ibrahim also highlighted progress in tuberculosis (TB) and malaria control.
He said 2.8 million community-based TB cases were detected in 2025, with over 3,000 successfully treated.
The NLI target for 2026 of 500,000 participants has been exceeded, with 1.1 million enrolled, reflecting strong programme implementation.
He added that 98 per cent of malaria cases detected in supported health facilities were treated promptly, while 97 per cent received appropriate treatment.
Approximately 8,800 facilities, including those supported by the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), participated in malaria interventions.
He noted that 92 per cent of health facilities reported timely data, demonstrating improvements in health management information systems.
Ibrahim said Nigeria is also deploying digital portable chest X-rays to detect TB and HIV among vulnerable populations and local communities.
He explained that the Global Fund provided three million dollars for GCA and 701 million dollars in programmatic funding, requiring strong coordination for optimal utilisation.
He added that 22 warehouses have been upgraded and equipped with resources, including forklifts, to strengthen the health supply chain.
He said Nigeria is tackling issues such as staffing shortages, low ARV coverage, and data gaps, noting that progress has been driven by strategic planning, partner mapping, and integrated interventions.
He said: “Through coordinated efforts, improved data systems, and quality care initiatives, Nigeria can continue to close gaps in HIV, TB, and malaria programmes and maximize opportunities to save lives.”
