The Lagos State Government has announced plans to become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral (ARV) medicines for people living with HIV, with the first shipment expected to arrive before the end of August 2026.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Folakemi Animashaun, disclosed this on Thursday during a press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja. She described the initiative as a major milestone aimed at reducing dependence on international donor funding while guaranteeing uninterrupted access to life-saving HIV treatment.
“We are pleased to inform Lagosians that the first consignment of these state-procured ARV medicines is expected to arrive in Lagos by the end of August 2026. This marks a historic milestone, making Lagos State the first sub-national government in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV,” she said.
According to Animashaun, the move reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and ensuring sustainable HIV treatment regardless of fluctuations in donor support.
She added that the state is also collaborating with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to explore local production of antiretroviral medicines, drawing lessons from Kenya’s pharmaceutical and health commodity management system.
The initiative, she said, is expected to strengthen supply chains, reduce long-term treatment costs and improve access to HIV medications across the state.
Lagos challenges HIV report
Animashaun also challenged recent reports based on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s State of the Health of the Nation Report 2025, which ranked Lagos as the state with the highest number of new HIV infections after reporting 10,430 cases.
She clarified that the widely circulated figure refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases, not people who newly contracted the virus in 2025.
“The number widely reported in the media requires important technical interpretation. It does not literally translate to the state recording 10,430 new HIV infections in 2025.
“The figure refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases, not necessarily new HIV infections that occurred within the year. These are two very different public health indicators,” she explained.
Animashaun noted that many of those diagnosed may have contracted HIV years earlier but only recently underwent testing. She added that the figure also includes patients referred from other states, individuals who travelled to Lagos for testing or treatment, and people identified through the state’s expanded HIV testing programmes.
She stressed that actual new HIV infections are estimated through epidemiological surveillance and scientific modelling rather than routine testing data.
According to her, misinterpreting public health statistics could fuel unnecessary fear, increase stigma, discourage HIV testing and undermine ongoing HIV control efforts.
HIV positivity rate declines
Despite recording a high number of diagnoses due to its population and status as Nigeria’s largest healthcare referral hub, Animashaun said Lagos continues to make significant progress in controlling the epidemic.
She revealed that the state conducted 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, identifying 11,940 positive cases, representing a positivity rate of 2.4 per cent.
In the first quarter of 2026, Lagos carried out 179,229 tests and recorded 3,390 positive cases, with the positivity rate declining further to 1.9 per cent.
“The declining positivity rate, despite expanded testing, is a significant epidemiological indicator that reflects improving epidemic control,” she said.
Animashaun disclosed that 147,904 people are currently receiving antiretroviral treatment in Lagos, with 97 per cent achieving viral suppression.
She also revealed that the state’s Early Infant Diagnosis positivity rate dropped from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025, indicating sustained progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The LSACA boss further announced that Lagos has launched an HIV Response Acceleration Plan covering July to September 2026 across all 20 local government areas and 57 local council development areas. The programme includes expanded HIV testing, improved treatment retention, strengthened community prevention initiatives and the rollout of oral and long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Reassuring residents, Animashaun urged Lagosians to know their HIV status, rely on verified public health information and reject stigma and discrimination.
“There is no cause for panic. HIV remains preventable and manageable. With early diagnosis and sustained treatment, people living with HIV can live long, healthy, productive and fulfilling lives,” she said.
Meanwhile, an information officer at the Federal Ministry of Health said the ministry would need to review the Lagos State Government’s interpretation before issuing an official response.
Comments