By Franklin Ngwu and Oluwasegun Benjamin
The Lagos State Government has said it has begun procuring antiretroviral drugs with state funds to sustain HIV treatment, noting that 147,904 people living with the virus receive medication across the state.
The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency disclosed this as it outlined its achievements under its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Folakemi Animashaun.
The move towards state-funded procurement comes as the agency prepares a 10-year HIV Sustainability and Transition Roadmap (2027-2037), aimed at strengthening domestic financing and ensuring the continuity of essential services.
In a statement obtained from the Lagos State Government’s information channels by The PUNCH, LSACA said the procurement of antiretroviral drugs with state resources was a significant step towards reducing reliance on external donor funding and securing uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV.
The agency said, “In a significant move towards reducing dependence on external donor funding, Lagos State has commenced the historic procurement of antiretroviral drugs with state resources to safeguard uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV.”
It added that the intervention was intended to strengthen domestic resource mobilisation and government ownership of the HIV response, particularly as international funding priorities evolve.
Beyond treatment financing, LSACA reported progress in other indicators, including a decline in Early Infant Diagnosis positivity from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025.
The agency also said HIV positivity declined from 2.4 per cent to 1.9 per cent despite an expansion of testing services across the state.
It attributed the progress to sustained efforts in prevention, testing, counselling, treatment access and interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
On institutional reforms, LSACA said it developed the Lagos State Strategic Plan on HIV 2025–2027 to provide a framework for coordinating interventions, improving access to services and addressing barriers to treatment and care.
It also developed the HIV Action Response Plan 2025–2027 with technical guidance from the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and support from the United Nations Population Fund.
The agency said it was also advancing the development of the SAFEHUB application to improve the coordination and implementation of HIV interventions, with stakeholder testing and training of trainers undertaken to support its adoption.
On the protection of people living with HIV, LSACA said it established a Gender and Human Rights Response Team and disseminated guidelines addressing the intersection of gender-based violence and HIV.
The document also stated that the agency conducted engagements with persons with disabilities to promote more inclusive access to prevention, testing, treatment and support services.
The agency said its work had extended beyond healthcare to the economic circumstances of people living with HIV, with more than 400 beneficiaries receiving livelihood equipment, including grinding machines and other tools, to support self-reliance.
It said the programme reflected the need to address the socioeconomic challenges that could affect the wellbeing and quality of life of people living with the virus.
LSACA also reported that it hosted the seventh National Council on AIDS in collaboration with NACA and disseminated the State AIDS Spending Assessment Report covering 2018 to 2023.
It said the exercise was part of efforts to strengthen accountability, partner coordination and monitoring of HIV-related spending.
The agency said the milestones recorded since Animashaun assumed office reflected its efforts to advance Lagos State’s target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, through expanded treatment, prevention, human rights protection and sustainable financing.
Copyright PUNCH
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: health_wise@punchng.
The post LASG procures HIV drug for over 147,000 patients appeared first on Healthwise.
