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ATM Networks, IHVN Pledge Stronger Collaboration to Tackle TB, HIV and Malaria in Rivers State




Partners agree to share data, restore diagnostic equipment, and expand community-led monitoring

PORT HARCOURT, Rivers State – In a bid to improve the fight against HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Rivers State, the ATM Networks on Monday paid an advocacy visit to the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, Rivers State Office.

The ATM Networks — comprising the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Networks — led by the TB Network, met with IHVN officials to review progress on Global Fund-supported programs, identify operational gaps, and agree on joint actions under the Integrated Community-Led Monitoring, I-CLM, Project.

The meeting held on June 30, 2026 at the IHVN Office, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, had in attendance IHVN State Saturation Officer, Mr. James Ugba; IHVN-TBFP, Mr. Moses Uze; the admin officer; and ATM coordinators. 

Reviewing 6 Months of Community-Led Monitoring
Presenting an overview, State Coordinator of the ATM Network, Messiah Fyneface Muzan, said the TB Network leads implementation of the I-CLM Project in Rivers State, but the visit represented all three disease networks.

According to the State Program Officer, TB Network, Mr. Hope Pius, the project has been running for about six months across Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt, and ONELGA LGAs, supporting nine health facilities.

Key activities so far include client exit interviews, community focus group discussions, state and community advocacy, escalation of unresolved issues to national level, and community outreaches in partnership with Dawn of Life Foundation for TB case finding.

IHVN welcomed the ATM Networks as strategic community partners but noted that despite six months of implementation, the state office had not received project reports. The organization urged that reports be shared at both national and state levels to aid evidence-based decision-making.

Key Challenges Identified
Both teams identified several barriers affecting service delivery:
High rates of HIV treatment interruption driven by poor counselling, stigma, denial, and poor understanding of lifelong treatment.
High transportation costs limiting access to TB and HIV services.
Non-functional Portable Digital X-ray equipment at General Hospital Eleme and Bori.
GeneXpert cartridge shortages and delays in sputum sample transportation.
Limited funding for capacity-building and weak feedback between state teams and IHVN.




Agreed Solutions and Action Points
To address these, the meeting agreed on several commitments:
Strengthen counselling and retention: Organize refresher training for HIV counsellors and improve community-based counselling. Engage TB survivors as treatment supporters and peer educators.
Expand access: Scale up differentiated service delivery to link clients to facilities closer to their homes and fast-track stable clients.
Restore diagnostics: Advocate for support to fix PDX machines and address GeneXpert cartridge shortages. Strengthen collaboration with the TB Laboratory Network and AHF to improve sample referral.
Mobilize resources: Pursue advocacy with government and corporate partners including NDDC, NLNG, and Shell to support community health interventions.
Improve coordination: Institutionalize regular meetings, ensure prompt circulation of minutes, and begin monthly reporting from ATM Network to IHVN state office.

IHVN also encouraged the ATM Network to submit well-developed proposals showing how interventions align with Global Fund and Aspire Project objectives. While noting current funding limits for capacity building, IHVN pledged technical support where possible.

Looking Ahead
Closing the meeting, both parties reaffirmed commitment to use Community-Led Monitoring data to improve service quality across supported facilities.

The ATM Network said the initial selection of smaller DOT facilities was because the project started as TB-specific before expanding to an integrated HIV, TB, and Malaria model.

With these agreements, stakeholders say the next phase will focus on turning CLM findings into action to ensure more Rivers residents complete treatment, access diagnosis on time, and receive quality care without financial barriers.

#Health #RiversState #TB #HIV #Malaria #GlobalFund


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