MHRP in Nigeria also works closely with the Nigerian Ministry of Defence and Health (NMOD) to implement and enhance PEPFAR-supported HIV prevention, care, and treatment. These PEPFAR-supported services are available to members of the Armed Forces, their dependents and civilians in nearby communities.
Current Research
HIV Vaccine Cohort Studies
In Nigeria the Program seeks to determine HIV incidence and characterize the genetic distribution of the country’s circulating HIV and its subtypes. A randomized, cross-sectional, observational study (RV230) examines HIV prevalence and determines potential risk factors associated with infection. This research forms part of Nigeria’s comprehensive effort to develop an effective HIV vaccine.
The TRUST cohort study (RV368) enrolls volunteers in high-risk populations in Nigeria in collaboration with the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) and Johns Hopkins University.
Ebola Vaccine Study
MHRP Nigeria's strong partnership with the Nigerian military and its large network of medical facilities and well-trained personnel developed through PEPFAR provides a platform to conduct surveillance and clinical research on infectious disease threats including Ebola. In 2017 a new MHRP-led study began in Nigeria that explores severe acute febrile illness prevalence and incidence at medical centers in West Africa. Through this study, the Joint West Africa Research Group (JWARG) will build scientific capabilities, provide an important surveillance mechanism and also broaden understanding of the epidemiology, immunology and genetics of severe acute infectious diseases.
The Nigerian Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Program (NMOD-HIP), in collaboration with WRP-N, launched its first vaccine study in Abuja in August 2015 as part of GSK’s phase II chimpanzee Adenovirus Type 3 Ebola glycoprotein program. The Government of Nigeria officially opened a new Clinical Research Center (CRC) in 2015 in Abuja to accommodate Ebola and HIV vaccine studies.