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Since 2005, MHRP has been building a sustainable research infrastructure in Nigeria for future HIV vaccine trials. The MHRP Nigeria research team has established Centers of Excellence for laboratory services in Abuja and Lagos, and supports HIV-related health efforts at 46 Nigerian Military Treatment Facilities.

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 WRP-N Clinical Trials Center (CRC) in 2015 in Abuja to accommodate Ebola and HIV vaccine studies.

MHRP Nigeria focuses on developing leadership, clinical, laboratory and logistical capabilities within the community to build a sustainable health capacity and infrastructure. 

The Program has cultivated a strong partnership with the Nigerian Armed Forces to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the context of a comprehensive HIV prevention effort funded by PEPFAR.

In an effort to enhance capacity and improve service delivery to prevent transmission of HIV/AIDs, MHRP in Nigeria supports prevention programs to interventions to military and civilian populations in NMOD health facilities and barrack communities. Some of the core program areas include community outreach on sexual prevention, biomedical transmission prevention, and HIV counseling and testing. The program also trains point-of-service pharmacists on how to properly dispense ARVs, manage drug combinations and mitigate treatment failures.  

The Program's strong partnership with the Nigerian military and its large network of medical facilities and well-trained personnel creates a supportive climate and framework for program evaluations, surveillance and research. 

PEPFAR Research:

RV 329 – AFRICOS – a 15-year study called the African Cohort Study, a longitudinal study to assess the impact of clinical practices, biological factors and socio-behavioral issues on HIV infection and disease progression in an African context

RV 352 – An Evaluation of HIV and Malaria Co-Infection in Two Nigerian Military Hospitals