Anambra State has recorded more than 2,500 free HIV tests since April as part of efforts to expand access to HIV testing, prevention, counselling, treatment and care across the state.

The state has also established 176 HIV-related facilities and introduced telehealth services and a newsletter aimed at taking HIV information and services closer to residents, particularly at the ward level.

These were disclosed in Awka during the launch of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency (ANSACA) Telehealth Media Platform and the unveiling of its newsletter.

The initiative, held under the theme, “Harnessing Digital Innovation to Strengthen the HIV Response: Bridging Communities and Advancing Health in Anambra State,” is designed to connect residents with information and healthcare services, including HIV testing, treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and guidance on preventing stigma and discrimination.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr Law Mefor, commended ANSACA for using digital technology to improve access to healthcare.

Mefor said the telehealth service would complement the state’s telemedicine programme and encourage more residents to seek early HIV testing.

He linked the ANSACA platform to the state’s wider telemedicine programme, saying residents could now access specialist medical care through primary healthcare centres at the ward level.

“Even if there is no doctor in your facility, you will now have a doctor through telemedicine,” Mefor said.
The commissioner, a psychologist, said stigma and loss of hope could pose a greater challenge than the virus itself.

He conveyed the goodwill of the state government led by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo and urged residents to get tested early.

“HIV is no longer a death sentence,” Mefor said, stressing that the virus could now be controlled to enable infected persons live healthy lives while avoiding risky behaviours.

Earlier, the Executive Director of ANSACA, Dr Nkem Okeke, said the agency had tested more than 2,500 people since April through community, motor park, workplace and tertiary institution outreaches.

Okeke said Anambra had become the first state in the country to establish Ward Action Committees on AIDS (WACA) and Campus Action Committees on AIDS (CACA).

He said the state and the country had reached a critical stage in the fight against HIV/AIDS, requiring new approaches such as telehealth to strengthen prevention and treatment efforts.

According to him, the ANSACA Telehealth Service will provide dedicated hotlines through which residents can access counselling, referrals and reliable information on HIV.

Okeke said the initiative was designed to remove physical barriers to healthcare access while maintaining confidentiality for residents seeking advice on sensitive sexual and reproductive health issues.

He said the initiative was “not just about phone numbers and a publication, but about bridging the gap between information and action, and between communities and life-saving services.”

The keynote speaker, Professor Ifeoma Njelita, called for stronger local ownership of the HIV response, stressing that digital innovation must remain people-centred while protecting privacy, consent and data security.

Njelita also proposed an “Anambra Digital HIV Connect” initiative built around digital information, telehealth, testing, referrals, treatment adherence and data intelligence.

The Executive Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Hon Stanley Nkwoka, commended ANSACA for its grassroots outreach and expressed confidence in the agency’s ability to deliver on its mandate.

The event was attended by the traditional ruler of Umueri, HRH Igwe Ben Emeka (Okebo II), Ichie Dr Izuchukwu Nwabueze, telemedicine doctors, representatives of the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency (ASHIA) and members of the media.