Lagos seeks bold, coordinated, sustainable action
Lagos State Government, yesterday, urged stakeholders to reposition Nigeria’s HIV response amid declining international aid. Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr Folakemi Animashaun, stated this during the opening ceremony of the seventh National Council on AIDS (NCA) meeting.
The high-level meeting, which commenced yesterday at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, is themed: “Advancing the HIV Sustainability Agenda in the Changing Global Policy on Aid.”
The gathering, organised in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), brings together critical stakeholders to chart a resilient and self-sustaining course for the national HIV response.
Animashaun said: “We are working to strengthen health systems across all 20 local councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), with a focus on service integration. This includes aligning HIV programming with mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) response services.”
Animashaun, however, expressed profound appreciation to the First Lady for her unwavering dedication to health equity, particularly in protecting the dignity and well-being of women, children, and other vulnerable populations.
Meanwhile, the wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who declared the conference open, called for bold, coordinated, and sustainable action to accelerate Nigeria’s HIV response in the face of shifting global donor priorities.
In her keynote address, Sanwo-Olu described the theme as “timely and urgent,” noting that as the world gradually transitions away from aid dependency, Nigeria must build homegrown resilience to sustain its HIV response.
In a related vein, Sanwo-Olu, who is also the Chairman of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), has urged residents of the state to prioritise their health by embracing healthy lifestyles and going for regular medical checkups.
She advised during the flag-off ceremony of a free medical outreach organised by COWLSO, yesterday, at the GOS Ground, Mushin, Lagos State. Sanwo-Olu urged Lagos residents to engage in regular physical activity, eat more fruits and vegetables, cut down on salt and sugar intake, and maintain a healthy body weight to prevent avoidable diseases.
“As we continue to work towards improving access to healthcare in the state, I encourage our people to take personal responsibility for their health. Prevention is better than cure,” she said.
The free medical outreach, according to her, is part of events marking the 25th anniversary of COWLSO’s national women’s conference and is aimed at ensuring that quality healthcare services reach more communities across the state.
She said that residents would benefit from free screening for hypertension, diabetes, tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and C, cervical and breast cancer, eye check-ups, dental screening, and health education by medical experts.
Sanwo-Olu, however, commended the Lagos State government for its continued investment in the health sector and acknowledged the impact of the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for supporting key programmes that transform lives across the country.
