Yesterday, 19th April 2017, Gede was invited by NACA’s Treatment Care and Support Technical Working Group to share its findings on the recent Prevalence Study Project with People living with HIV-AIDS. Dr Cynthia Ticao presented the study design and key findings from the 3 conditions under the study—depression, alcohol abuse and suicidality.

These results had remained one of the catalysts driving the integration of mental health services into treatment, care and support for PLHIV in Nigeria for more than a year.

The meeting that was attended by representatives from WHO, PEPFAR, CDC, IHVN, NACA, MSH, CRS and others from the Federal Ministry of Health, reorganized the significance of this integration and considered as key in enhancing adherence to HIV treatment. It will be worth mentioning that the 2 important aspects of this advocacy had been achieved, namely: i) mental health in the National Strategic Framework (2017-2022), and, ii) inclusion into the recent Country’s Global Fund Grant application for 2018.