APIN Public Health Initiatives

11/10/2026

Every girl deserves the freedom to learn, dream, grow and shape her own future. No girl should have her potential limited by violence, discrimination or barriers to education, healthcare and protection.

At APIN, we believe in creating opportunities for girls and young people to thrive. Through our No Means No programme, girls gain the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to recognise, prevent and defend themselves against all forms of violence. Through our AYP Hubs, adolescent girls develop vocational and life skills that open doors to greater independence and brighter futures.

This , we reaffirm our commitment to protecting girls’ rights, expanding their opportunities and ensuring every girl has the support she needs to reach her full potential. Because investing in girls means investing in healthier families, stronger communities and a more equitable future for all.

Let girls be girls. Let girls thrive. Let girls shape their own futures! APIN will continue to champion initiatives that protect, empower and advance the rights of every girl.

11/10/2026

Proud to share that our CEO, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, will be speaking at the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Summit 2026 and sharing his perspective on responsible AI, health systems and the practical realities of turning emerging technologies into sustainable improvements in healthcare.

Join Dr Jay Osi Samuels and Africa Hub For Innovation and Development as they discuss on the future of AI and healthcare in Africa on 19–20 October 2026 at the TY Danjuma Foundation Building, Abuja-FCT.

Register here: aiinhealthsummit.org

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗮𝘆 𝗢𝘀𝗶 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, Chief Executive Officer of APIN Public Health Initiatives, to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Health Summit 2026.

A medical doctor, epidemiologist and public health leader with over 25 years of experience, Dr. Samuels has played a significant role in strengthening health systems and advancing quality, equitable healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

At the Summit, he brings a grounded perspective on responsible AI, health systems and the practical realities of turning emerging technologies into sustainable improvements in healthcare.

Join Dr. Samuels and other leading voices shaping the future of AI and healthcare in Africa on 19–20 October 2026 at the TY Danjuma Foundation Building, Abuja-FCT.

Register here: aiinhealthsummit.org

10/10/2026

Mental health is wealth. This should not need saying in 2026, but it does.

Today, World Mental Health Day, we spotlight the psychologists and counsellors at APIN's Centre for Social and Clinical Care (CSCC) in Plateau State.

Living with HIV is a physical health challenge, but it is also a psychological one. Social barriers, disclosure anxiety, treatment fatigue. The daily reality of managing a chronic condition. All of it takes a toll that blood tests do not measure.

Our Community Services Coordination Centres (CSCCs) integrate mental health support into HIV care. Psychologists like Moses provide individual and group counselling. They screen for depression and anxiety. They support patients as they navigate disclosure to partners and family members.

But even more importantly, they do something often overlooked: they support the people who care for others, health workers. Burnout among frontline staff is real, and a struggling health worker can't give their best to patients.

So today, on World Mental Health Day, we leave you with a special message. You cannot treat the body and ignore the mind. Don't be ashamed. Speak up. Seek help.

We also applaud the amazing work of the clinical psychologists across all APIN CSCCs.

09/10/2026

At the two-day Annual Program Performance Review for Government Ownership and Sustainability in Akure, convened by APIN Public Health Initiatives in collaboration with the Ondo State Government, the goal was simple: How could APIN and the government better collaborate and shift our focus from implementing health programmes with donor support to building a response that government can fully own and sustain?

73 senior officials from State government MDAs, health institutions, implementing partner organisations, PLHIV networks and support groups, civil society organisations gathered to review programme performance, identify gaps, and agree on practical steps toward a more sustainable HIV response.

In interviews with Channels Television and Coastal Renaissance News, APIN’s Deputy CEO-Programs, Dr Ifeyinwa Onwuatuelo, emphasised the importance of this transition: “We can’t keep depending on external funding… There is a need for us to discuss the gaps and plan together to close those gaps.”

These discussions are beginning to translate into results. Government institutions have already absorbed 108 APIN-supported ad hoc staff, with commitments from other stakeholders underway.

The key take-away from this meeting was perfectly summarised by the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Dr. Banji Ajaka: the meeting was an opportunity to strengthen the state’s capacity to take ownership of HIV/AIDS funding and sustain the response.

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel via the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlfy-QLo2YA

09/10/2026

Join us in congratulating Dr. Ifeyinwa Onwuatuelo on her appointment as our new Deputy CEO - Programs!

Since joining APIN in 2009, Dr. Onwuatuelo has been a driving force behind our programmatic impact. In this executive role, Dr. Onwuatuelo will lead our continued commitment to strengthening health systems and ensuring sustainable impact across all our public health interventions.

Bringing more than 25 years of experience, she will directly develop and lead the implementation of evidence-based program strategies and sustainable solutions across all focus areas, ensuring excellence and supporting the CEO, Dr. Jay Osi Samuels and the leadership team in the expansion of APIN’s programmatic footprint across Africa.

07/10/2026

Bisi is a nurse in charge of an ART clinic in Oyo State. Her adherence counsellor and her data entry assistant are paid through a partner grant.

Without government ownership, here's what happens: the grant cycle ends. The counsellor and data assistant roles are cut.

Why? They were never formally engaged by the state government, and their salaries aren't in the state budget.

Strong leadership and governance are critical for building a functional health system. That's why APIN ensures that the government is part of how we implement every programme, with or without donor funding. Ministries and agencies take part in stewardship, evaluation, oversight and planning. The goal is to build the policies, plans and structures together, so the government can eventually lead the programme.

Recently, our Health Systems Strengthening Directorate hosted the Oyo State Annual Program Performance Review on Government Ownership and Sustainability. Our Deputy CEO-Programs, Dr. Ifeyinwa Onwuatuelo, opened the session and set the tone for meaningful conversations.

Hon. Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the Oyo State Commissioner for Health, and Hon. Dr Babalola, Chairman of the House Committee on Health, spoke on leadership, coordinated action and continued investment in health systems.

After two days of thought-provoking discussions, Dr Gbola Adetunji, Chairman of the Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), closed the day with a call for partnership and collective commitment.

We are deeply grateful to the Oyo State government for their continued support and participation

06/10/2026

An exciting new chapter begins at APIN Public Health Initiatives! 🌍✨

We have a new CEO!🎉🎉

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jay Osi Samuels has officially assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer of APIN Public Health Initiatives, succeeding our pioneer CEO, Prof. Prosper Okonkwo.

Dr Jay Osi Samuels is leveraging more than three decades of programmatic expertise, deep institutional knowledge and experience in global health programming, health systems strengthening, research and digital health to lead APIN into its next phase of sustainable public health impact across Africa.

Join us in congratulating Dr Jay Osi Samuels as he guides APIN into its next phase of impact, and swipe to learn more about our CEO and his vision for transforming APIN.

The Future of APIN is very bright!

02/10/2026

Funke has spent eight years tracking appointments for people living with HIV. She spends hours each day going through appointment schedules because she knows how quickly a client's health can decline when a missed appointment goes unnoticed.

One memory stays with her.

Eight years ago, Emeka, a 38-year-old phone repair technician, was four months into treatment when he missed a clinic appointment. Funke called the next day. No response. A week later, still nothing. She went to his shop and found it closed. Neighbours said he hadn't been in for a week. At his house, she found Emeka in critical condition, too sick to stand.

They rushed him to hospital, and he soon recovered. Today, his viral load is undetectable. He's married, and a baby is on the way.

That's the quiet work behind the scenes. APIN works with facility staff to implement pre-appointment and missed-appointment tracking, ensuring no client slips through the cracks and treatment is not interrupted. If we can't reach someone, tracking can include a home visit. Many clients haven't told their family or neighbours their status, so APIN ensures that health workers are trained to protect client privacy

Today, we celebrate health workers like Funke who do the painstaking work of tracking appointments, one reminder, one call and one visit at a time.

01/10/2026

Happy Independence Day, Nigeria! 🇳🇬

Today, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and vibrant spirit that make Nigeria truly unique.

At APIN, we remain committed to improving health, changing lives, and contributing to a healthier and stronger Nigeria where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Here’s to unity, progress, hope, and a future filled with possibilities.

23/09/2026

Did you know Nigeria has just 3.86 physicians and 11.5 nurses/midwives for every 10,000 people?

Simply put, that's one nurse caring for close to a thousand people, and a doctor who might be hours away when someone needs one. And it isn't spread evenly. Urban areas and big cities have more, while primary health centres in rural areas are often left short-staffed.

Task Shifting/Task sharing is how we close that gap. It means moving tasks from highly specialised health professionals to health workers with shorter training, where it's appropriate and safe. In the HIV programme, that could look like training a nurse to initiate and manage stable clients on ART, or letting a community pharmacist handle routine ART refills.

In Benue State, it has worked. Task shifting helped expand ART sites by more than threefold. That cut the distance and the wait between people and the care they need.

At a recent two-day engagement convened by APIN's Health Systems Strengthening directorate in Benue State, Dr Agbadu Joshua, the Director -Public Health at the Benue State Ministry of Health, made the point directly: task shifting has been one of the most effective strategies in the HIV response so far.

As the state works towards its "One State, One Health System" goal, we remain committed to working with the government and health partners to build a single, government-led system where HIV service delivery, financing, workforce, medicines and governance are fully integrated into the wider health system.