Benue State officials announced on Monday that a seven‑member technical team will be tasked with drafting a sustainability strategy for HIV/AIDS care after a sharp decline in international donor contributions to [APIN Public Health Initiatives](https://www.apin.org). The team, led by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, is expected to pinpoint funding shortfalls, rank essential interventions and produce a costed action plan to keep treatment uninterrupted.
**What is the team’s mandate?**
The team must complete its assessment within seven days and forward recommendations to the next State Executive Council meeting for approval. Its work will focus on strengthening domestic financing, embedding successful health programmes into government systems and shielding critical services from donor‑funding volatility.
**Who comprises the technical team?**
According to Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Barr. Deborah Aber, the panel includes representatives from the Ministry of Health and Human Services, the Office of the Head of Service, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning Commission, the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, the State Health Insurance Agency, APIN Public Health Initiatives and the state’s investment promotion agency.
**How many people are currently receiving care?**
APIN reports that more than 197,000 individuals in the state are benefitting from HIV/AIDS services, including antiretroviral drugs and other essential interventions. The programme previously supported over 183,000 patients across 264 health facilities, bolstering laboratory capacity, staffing and treatment outcomes.
**What funding changes have occurred?**
Funding from the [United States Government](https://www.usa.gov) has been reduced, prompting the state to assume greater responsibility for sustaining the programme. The SSG emphasized, "No patient should be denied life‑saving treatment because of funding challenges," underscoring the urgency of a domestic financing solution.
**What long‑term strategy is proposed?**
APIN’s State Programme Lead, Enebi Achimogu, urged the rapid rollout of the Benue State Health Insurance Scheme as a sustainable mechanism to broaden healthcare access and lessen the financial burden on residents.
The Governor Hyacinth Alia administration is developing strategies to retain the programme’s workforce and maintain essential services as funding arrangements evolve, while stressing continued collaboration with development partners to avoid disruptions in HIV treatment and care.