On Thursday, December 19, 2025, health stakeholders gathered at the Rivers State Ministry of Health in Port Harcourt for a TB/HIV Breakfast Meeting convened by the Dawn of Life Foundation.
The meeting aimed to strengthen coordination between tuberculosis and HIV programs in the state, improve the understanding of collaborative TB/HIV indicators, and identify practical solutions to operational and data-related challenges affecting integration efforts.
The meeting was opened by Dr. Victor on behalf of the Director of Public Health, who was unavoidably absent. Participants included representatives from the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, the Rivers State Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme, the Rivers State AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STI Control Programme, and implementing partners working across TB and HIV programs in Rivers State.
Progress in TB/HIV Response
During the meeting, stakeholders highlighted several milestones achieved in the state’s response to the dual epidemics of TB and HIV, including:
- Expanded HIV/TB awareness and prevention programs
- Simultaneous TB and HIV screening in facilities and community outreach settings
- Rapid antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation for co-infected patients
- Increased scale-up of Tuberculosis Preventive Therapy (TPT) for eligible individuals
- Improved digital health management systems such as COMMTB, EPCON, MAT App, DHIS2, and NDARS
- Introduction of innovative diagnostic technologies including GeneXpert, Truenat, and PDX machines
- Strengthened private sector engagement to improve case detection and treatment access
Key Presentations
Three technical presentations were delivered during the session:
- TB/HIV Co-Indicators, Tracking Tools, and Achievements – presented by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria
- TB/HIV Co-infection Data (2023–2025) – presented by the Rivers State Tuberculosis, Buruli Ulcer and Leprosy Control Programme
- TB/HIV Co-infection Data (2023–2025) – presented by the Rivers State AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STI Control Programme
Key Discussions
Participants discussed several operational priorities for improving TB/HIV integration:
- Improving Co-infection Identification and Treatment
Stakeholders emphasized the need for proper documentation of co-infection in national reporting tools, including ART registers, TB treatment registers, and presumptive TB registers. Ensuring accurate documentation supports improved patient management and data quality. - Strengthening Infection Prevention Measures
Concerns were raised about health facilities potentially serving as transmission hotspots. Participants highlighted the importance of strengthening infection prevention practices, scaling prevention messaging in health facilities and communities, and increasing media engagement to promote public awareness. - Joint Supportive Supervision
Participants proposed the implementation of joint TB/HIV supportive supervision beginning in 2026 to strengthen program integration and improve problem-solving across programs. - Improved Information Flow
The meeting also highlighted the importance of ensuring that information from technical meetings is effectively shared with wider program teams and stakeholders.
Agreed Next Steps
Participants agreed on several immediate action points:
- Establish TB/HIV joint supportive supervision beginning in Q1 2026
- Scale prevention initiatives across programs starting January 2026
- Institutionalize the TB/HIV Breakfast Meeting as a bi-monthly coordination platform
- Strengthen mechanisms for cascading information to relevant stakeholders
The meeting reinforced the importance of collaboration among government agencies, implementing partners, and community stakeholders in accelerating progress toward ending TB and HIV as public health threats in Rivers State.
