The Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) has unveiled a telehealth service and a newsletter as part of efforts to strengthen HIV prevention, awareness, treatment access and coordination across the state.
The initiatives were unveiled on Tuesday at Chyben Leisure Hotel, Awka, during an event themed, “Harnessing Digital Innovation to Strengthen the HIV Response: Bridging Communities and Advancing Health in Anambra State.”
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr. Nkem Okeke, said Anambra State and Nigeria had reached a critical stage in the fight against HIV/AIDS, requiring innovative approaches such as telehealth to expand access to accurate information and essential services.
Okeke explained that the telehealth service would provide dedicated hotlines through which residents could access counselling, referrals and reliable information on HIV without necessarily visiting a health facility.
He said the service was designed to remove physical barriers to healthcare access while ensuring confidentiality, allowing residents to seek answers to sensitive sexual and reproductive health questions without fear of stigma.
The Executive Director disclosed that since assuming office in April 2026, the agency had tested more than 2,500 people through community, motor park, workplace and tertiary institution outreaches.
He also said ANSACA had established Ward Action Committees on AIDS (WACA) and Campus Action Committees on AIDS (CACA) as part of efforts to deepen community and campus participation in the HIV response.
According to him, the telehealth service and newsletter represent a broader effort to integrate digital health, transparency and effective communication into the state’s HIV response.
He said the initiatives were not merely about introducing telephone services and publishing information, but about “bridging the gap between information and action, and between communities and life-saving services.”
Unveiling the initiatives, the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, commended ANSACA for the progress recorded in less than five months under Okeke’s leadership.
Mefor, who conveyed the goodwill of the Soludo administration, said the state’s commitment to vulnerable groups was reflected in the renewed attention being given to HIV prevention and control.
Addressing the issue of stigma, Mefor, a psychologist, said stigma and loss of hope could have devastating consequences for people living with HIV.
He stressed that HIV was no longer necessarily a death sentence, urging residents to get tested early and adhere to appropriate treatment, while also avoiding behaviours that increase the risk of infection.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Ifeoma Njelita, emphasised the need to place people at the centre of digital healthcare while safeguarding privacy, confidentiality, informed consent and data security.
She also stressed the importance of local ownership of the HIV response under the Anambra State 2026–2028 HIV Strategic Plan.
The Mayor of Idemili North, Sir Stanley Nkwoka, commended Okeke’s leadership of ANSACA, recalling his previous experience working with him when Okeke served as Supervisor for Health in the local government area.
Nkwoka expressed confidence in the Executive Director’s capacity to further strengthen the state’s HIV response.
The Chairman of the occasion, Sir Izuchukwu Nwabueze, in his speech described the newsletter and telehealth service as important tools for improving communication, documentation, community engagement and access to HIV information and care.
Also present was the traditional ruler of Umueri, HRM Igwe Benneth Emeka Oke-Ebo, who joined other stakeholders in expressing support for initiatives aimed at strengthening HIV prevention, awareness and access to care across Anambra State.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
other participants included telemedical doctors, representatives of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA), health stakeholders and members of the media.
