The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) is celebrating 20 years of “excellence in public health implementation, capacity building and research.”
IHVN 20th Anniversary - The CEO's Founder Story
IHVN was incorporated in October 2004. It started with the implementation of a grant by Professor William Blattner, who was the Director of the Epidemiology Division of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s Institute of Human Virology.
The Institute was established to outlast the grant and address the HIV/AIDS crisis in Nigeria by developing infrastructure for treatment, care, prevention, and support for people living with and affected by HIV. IHVN has expanded its services to other infectious and non-infectious diseases as it continues to provide quality health services, capacity building, and research with guidance from a Board of Directors consisting of seasoned and committed professionals and leaders in health, business, research, management, finance, communications, and other areas.
Since 2004, IHVN has provided HIV testing services to more than 18 million people, life-saving antiretroviral treatment to more than 600,000 people, trained over 50,000 healthcare workers, and provided tuberculosis services to more than 300,000 individuals.
As the Institute commemorates this milestone, IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum said, “Some of the achievements can only be described in terms of beneficiaries that have come under the support of IHVN.”
Dr. Dakum added that IHVN has utilized financial support from funding agencies and partnership with all levels of government, the public and private sector, to put smiles of the faces of many.
The CEO praised the staff for their support, the University of Maryland for its technical guidance and stakeholders for their collaboration. He called for continued partnership in addressing the health needs of many more people in Nigeria and West Africa.
