HIV assessment: FG, Lagos to survey over 11,000 residents

 

By Kayode Olopade 

Lagos State Government, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), is set to conduct a comprehensive HIV impact survey targeting approximately 11,397 residents across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The initiative, known as the Nigeria State-Level Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Impact Survey (AIS), will be carried out between October and December 2025. 

The survey will assess HIV prevalence, treatment coverage, and viral load suppression among adults aged 15–64 years, with data collected from 6,150 households across 205 enumeration areas.

Speaking during a press briefing in Ikeja on Wednesday, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, described the exercise as critical to strengthening evidence-based planning and interventions for HIV response in Lagos.

“This is an impact survey that will assess HIV prevalence, treatment coverage, and viral load suppression among adults in Lagos. We count on the cooperation of communities, security agencies, and field workers to make it successful,”Dr. Ogboye said.

He urged field workers to approach their duties with diligence, emphasizing the national significance of the data they will collect. 

“Even though you are one individual in one community, the results you generate will shape national health planning,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Dr. Ibrahim Dalhatu, Deputy Director of Epidemiology and Strategic Information at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), underscored the human-centred nature of the initiative.

“This is ultimately about people, the same people who will be engaged and who will benefit from the exercise. The outcomes will guide important health decisions on HIV and other diseases for Lagos and Nigeria,”Dalhatu said.

Dalhatu reaffirmed the U.S. CDC’s commitment to providing technical support and called on all stakeholders to ensure field teams are granted community access and acceptance to enable credible results.

Representing the National Coordinator of NASCP, Dr. Chioma Ukanwa, Deputy Director for Prevention, described the ART Impact Survey as a globally recognized tool for tracking progress in epidemic control.

“The survey will reach homes, communities and local governments, providing a true picture of the HIV situation. 

“We need reliable data to make informed decisions and improve healthcare outcomes,”Ukanwa said.

She appealed to traditional and community leaders to mobilize residents and encourage cooperation with survey teams, noting that community engagement would be vital to the success of the exercise.

Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Mr. Francis Agbo, said the survey marks a crucial milestone in monitoring HIV control efforts in Lagos.

“We have just concluded a similar exercise in Akwa Ibom, and Lagos is the next frontier,” Agbo stated. “The indicators will help us plan for the future and allocate resources more effectively.”

Dr. Victoria Egunjobi, Director of Disease Control at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, stressed the importance of community trust and participation.

“Gone are the days when HIV was shrouded in stigma. Today, people living with HIV deserve dignity, respect, and universal access to healthcare.

 “This survey is about evaluating progress and closing gaps,”she said.

In his presentation on the community mobilization and advocacy strategy for the AIS, Lagos State AIDS Programme Coordinator, Dr. Oladipupo Fisher, explained that grassroots engagement would be key to the success of the survey.

He disclosed that 30 survey teams, supported by community mobilizers, will be deployed across the selected Enumeration Areas to sensitize residents and encourage participation.