RismadarVoice Reporters
October 26, 2026
The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are exploring a partnership to expand health insurance coverage for people living with HIV and other vulnerable residents across Rivers State.
The proposed collaboration seeks to strengthen sustainable healthcare financing, increase enrolment and improve access to affordable medical services for disadvantaged populations.
Discussions took place during an advocacy visit to RIVCHPP by a delegation comprising representatives of the US CDC, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) and Rivers State Ministry of Health.
Leading the delegation, the CDC Country Director in Nigeria, Dr Meghna Desai, said the engagement was aimed at identifying sustainable financing strategies and improving enrolment and retention under the state’s health insurance programme.
Desai emphasised the importance of identifying economically disadvantaged residents and developing innovative public awareness campaigns to educate communities about available health insurance opportunities.
The stakeholders also advocated alternative funding arrangements and broader institutional participation to reduce excessive dependence on government financing.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr Vetty Agala, represented by the agency’s Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Juliet Aleme, reaffirmed the programme’s commitment to partnerships that would expand healthcare protection across the state.
Agala appreciated the CDC’s technical assistance in developing RIVCHPP’s operational guidelines, actuarial studies and healthcare benefit package.
She also encouraged corporate organisations, multinational companies, local government authorities and development partners to sponsor health insurance coverage for vulnerable residents, particularly those living with chronic illnesses.
The proposed collaboration builds on existing efforts to strengthen healthcare access for people living with HIV in Rivers State.
In February 2026, RIVCHPP disclosed that more than 1,500 people living with HIV had already been enrolled in the state’s health insurance scheme, providing beneficiaries with access to healthcare services beyond HIV treatment.
The agency has continued to advocate increased domestic funding and stronger partnerships to sustain healthcare interventions amid declining international donor support.
Although discussions with the CDC are ongoing, no additional enrolment target or finalised funding agreement has been publicly announced.
The proposed partnership is expected to advance universal health coverage and reduce the financial burden of medical treatment on vulnerable households across Rivers State.
