The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency has called on all 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas to take greater responsibility for the state's HIV response as preparations intensify for statewide screening and longer-term programme sustainability.
At the SACA–LACA Coordination Meeting held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, LSACA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Folakemi Animashaun urged local authorities to take greater ownership of HIV prevention, screening, treatment and care. She said interventions must extend beyond state-level planning to the communities where people live, work and interact.
Animashaun said the planned statewide screening exercise should be assessed not only by the number of people tested but also by how many are reached, linked to treatment and retained in care. She urged stakeholders to include underserved populations and consider markets, schools, workplaces, transport communities, faith-based settings and other locations where residents may not routinely access health facilities.
The LSACA chief executive emphasised that a positive screening result must lead to appropriate follow-up. She highlighted prompt linkage to treatment, adherence support and viral-load monitoring as essential components of the response, stressing that responsibility for a person living with HIV continues after diagnosis.
Animashaun also highlighted the Lagos State HIV Sustainability and Strategic Plan 2025–2027 and the proposed HIV Sustainability Roadmap 2027–2037. She said long-term sustainability requires more than funding, pointing to stronger institutions, improved data systems, reliable supply and procurement arrangements, integration of HIV services into the wider health system and increased government ownership.
LSACA Director of Projects Michael Essien urged local representatives to turn the meeting's discussions into coordinated action, identify service-delivery challenges and maintain regular communication with the agency. The statewide screening exercise remains a planned intervention; the agency's stated priority is to ensure that people reached are connected to suitable prevention, treatment and care services.