As global funding for HIV continues to decline due to reduced international aid from donor countries, the 7th National Council on AIDS (NCA) meeting scheduled to hold in Lagos in the coming weeks will focus on developing sustainable strategies to maintain progress in HIV prevention and care across Nigeria.

The meeting, convened by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), is themed “Advancing National HIV Sustainability Agenda in the Changing Global Policy on Aid.”

Chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja that the council will bring together key stakeholders from government, civil society, development partners, and communities to review achievements, consolidate national HIV sustainability efforts, and set a technical direction for the years ahead.

Director-General of NACA and Chairperson of the Council, Dr. Temitope Ilori, said this year’s session is particularly significant given the evolving global policy landscape on aid. She stressed the need for Nigeria to take bold steps to ensure HIV prevention, treatment, and support remain accessible and resilient.

“As donor landscapes evolve, Nigeria must take bold steps to ensure that HIV prevention, treatment, and support remain accessible and resilient. The Council offers us a unified platform to chart that future,” she stated.

The 7th NCA will deliberate on Nigeria’s HIV sustainability agenda in the face of changing global support, explore multi-sectoral approaches to ensure continuity of HIV and development-related interventions, and strengthen state-level systems to improve health outcomes.