Building a successful military-to-military partnership through confronting HIV: The U.S-Nigeria experience

Background: The Nigerian Ministry of Defence-Walter Reed Army Institute of Research partnership was established in 2004 in response to the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Nigeria. Methods: Here we discuss the emergence of HIV in Nigeria, highlighting the initial barriers to treatment delivery, and outline the origins of the international military-to-military partnership developed to confront the disease. Results: With financial support from the United States President’s Plan for AIDS Relief and Nigerian Government Counterpart Funding, we demonstrate how this program led to a successful and sustainable response in the fight against HIV in Nigeria. We detail the continued value of this collaboration in the form of sustainable treatment platforms, prevention strategies, and research projects, and explore the factors which strengthened, and hindered these efforts. Conclusion: The program is a model framework for international military health partnership based on the principles of shared responsibility, country ownership and goal attainment.