Prevention, Care and Treatment (PCT) Department

PCT Department

Prevention, Care and Treatment (PCT) Department

Quality is catchword of all prevention, care and treatment services. The department has four main units for technical oversight namely, Prevention, Care and Support, Treatment, and Pharmacy Units.

We support the Government of Nigeria in providing decentralized delivery of HIV treatment, care and prevention in health facilities across the country. To engender global best practices, a learning culture is encouraged at health facilities supported by the Institute.

Achievements include,

Conducting Clinical Quality Improvement Programs across all service areas and formation of clinical quality working groups and committees at facilities.
Adoption of the “hub and spokes model” with continuous mentoring of all hubs on best practices being decentralized to support and mentor the spokes (mainly Primary Health Centers).
Technical Associates are present in some hubs with high patient load of at least 1000.
Task shifting is encouraged at sites especially those with high patient load.

IHVN CE0, Dr. Patrick Dakum giving orientation to new PCT staff on strategies for quality programs

Current activities include, professional development-orientation training for all new staff engaged in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, participation in National training courses, organization of international preceptorship for Physicians at health facilities/staff, Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) through clinical meetings at supported health facilities and organization of retreats with conference updates for lead providers in Nigeria

The department contributes in the review of the National ART training curricula, guideline development, strategic framework as well as job aids at various levels of the health care system in Nigeria. We also support the Government of Nigeria to adapt and adopt WHO guidelines.

There is continuous collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, relevant United States Government and UN agencies in their respective in-country implementation of prevention, treatment, Maternal Neonatal and Child Health/Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) and Safe Motherhood programs.