Stakeholders Canvass Sustainable Youth-Focused HIV Financing Mechanism
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Stakeholders in the health sector have advocated improved budgetary provisions and greater youth participation to sustain the country’s HIV/AIDS response beyond 2030. They made the call
Delegates from the health sector gathered in Abuja for a multi-stakeholder dialogue aimed at ensuring the sustainability of HIV/AIDS response beyond 2030. Technology for Inspiration Initiative (Inspire IT) and Africa REACH organized the event to encourage youth involvement in health policy, budgeting, and financing. A communique issued at the meeting advocated for the creation of a unified, transparent, and sustainable financing mechanism specifically for young people and those living with HIV.
Among the recommendations put forth were the establishment of a Youth Trust Fund and innovative Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to tap into domestic resources, bolster community-led initiatives, and ensure the continuity of youth-focused programs. Stakeholders also suggested enhancing Community-Led HIV Awareness, Service Uptake, and Accountability.
This would involve promoting youth involvement in monitoring health facilities, boosting HIV prevention and treatment education, supporting linkage and retention in care, and maximizing locally available resources and structures.
Furthermore, the conference called for institutionalized youth participation in HIV governance, with a minimum 30% representation in HIV planning, budgeting, policy development, implementation, and review processes. Civil society actors were urged to play an active role in national and sub-national HIV responses. The delegates also emphasized building youth capacity in HIV financing, policy, data, and stigma reduction.
This would include developing and implementing a capacity-strengthening agenda covering public health budgeting, health financing, HIV policies, data analysis, advocacy, and stigma reduction strategies. The communique also highlighted the need for structured youth mentorship, digital advocacy, and a single accountability platform, including intentional mentorship, leveraging digital platforms and youth champions to amplify HIV prevention, treatment education, and anti-stigma messaging.
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