The Lagos State Government has launched a three-year strategy aimed at expanding HIV prevention, testing and treatment as part of efforts to meet the state’s HIV targets by 2027.
The 2025–2027 Lagos State Strategic Plan on HIV, unveiled by the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, is expected to guide government agencies, healthcare providers, civil society organisations, communities and development partners in strengthening the state’s response to the disease.
The plan seeks to build on existing progress while addressing persistent challenges, particularly in reaching underserved populations, linking people who test positive to treatment and ensuring that patients remain in care until they achieve viral suppression.
Speaking at the dissemination of the plan at BWC Hotel, Victoria Island, the Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Folakemi Animashaun, said the document provides a common framework for stakeholders to coordinate programmes, resources and partnerships around measurable targets.
Animashaun said despite progress made in the state’s HIV response, significant gaps remained in prevention, testing, treatment and long-term patient care.
“Despite the gains recorded, critical gaps remain and require sustained attention, particularly in reaching underserved populations, strengthening HIV prevention and testing, ensuring timely linkage to treatment, improving retention in care and achieving viral suppression,” she said.
According to her, implementation of the strategic plan has already commenced, while the dissemination exercise was intended to enable stakeholders to review progress and identify areas requiring urgent intervention before the plan expires.
The LSACA chief urged stakeholders to focus not only on identifying challenges but also on making better use of available resources to improve HIV outcomes across the state.
She said LSACA would continue to coordinate the state’s HIV response, mobilise resources, monitor implementation and encourage evidence-based decision-making.
Animashaun also acknowledged the contributions of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, relevant ministries, departments and agencies, development and implementing partners, civil society organisations, community networks and healthcare workers.
She stressed that sustained collaboration and adequate funding would be critical to achieving the objectives of the strategic plan.
“The successful implementation of the Strategic Plan would depend on sustained collaboration, effective coordination, adequate resource mobilisation and a shared commitment to improving HIV prevention, treatment and care outcomes across Lagos State,” she said.
