New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society

The New HIV Vaccine and Microbicide Advocacy Society is a national focused non-governmental organization which started operations in Nigeria in 2003 with the aim of ensuring Nigerians prompt access biomedical HIV prevention tools as soon as it is developed. Its mission is to advocate for, invest in, and support national efforts to reduce the HIV incidence in Nigeria through the use of evidence based research derived responses. It works with different stakeholders to achieve these goals. These include working with researchers to ensure ethical conduct of research through active engagement of communities in the design and implementation of HIV prevention research; and advocating with policy makers to fast track the implementation of its HIV prevention goals. Since its inception, the organization had facilitated the development of multiple documents and position papers of national relevance the most recent being the development of the policy document on ethical considerations for engagement of adolescents in sexual and reproductive health research and programmes in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health. It worked through a consortium of civil society network organization to plan and implement the Civil society accountability Forum; the maiden edition was in 2016 and the second edition in 2017. The Civil Society Organisation Accountability Forum brought together public and private stakeholders invested in the national HIV response along with its lead partners –NHVMAS, CISHAN, PLAN, TAM, NEPWHAN and Afrocab to dialogue on the emerging issues and community concerns on the national HIV response and meeting the global target of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. The key programmes of the NHVMAS are (i) advocacy for policy and programme formulation or review that promotes the use of evidence based interventions that increases access of individuals and communities to HIV prevention strategies and tools; (ii) capacity building for community based organizations to facilitate research literacy that empowers then to engage with researchers and facilitate ethical conduct of research; (iii) public awareness creation through work with the media to ensure prompt dissemination of factual information on HIV prevention approaches; (iv) network and collaborations with local, national and international organizations that promotes support for effort at ensuring Nigeria continues to be a priority target country for HIV prevention activities. NHVMAS is currently staffed with five full time staff, two part time managerial staff and has access to over I20 volunteers located in different states in Nigeria. It also works through its listserv to continue to engage 8555 individuals – community advocates, academics, ethicists, journalists, development partners and health care professionals – to provide them with information and updates on HIV prevention. These individuals serve as NHVMAS reference points for surveys and opinions through which NHVMAS gauges public positions on issues of interest. NHVMAS is governed by an eight persons’ Board of Directors that provide strategic direction for the organization. The Board is intrinsically involved with the operations of the organization and they provide governing oversight function for the organization. The Board has a Chair (Prof Kayode Dada) and the financial operations of the organization is run by Ms Olayide Akanni and Mrs Funmi Doherty. These activities are supported by Dr Ernest Ekong and Mrs Munirat Ogunlayi. Dr Simon Agwale provides scientific directions for the programmes of the organization,Dr Faleyimu directs the works on bioethics, while Dr Morenike Ukpong serves as the organisation’s coordinator.