The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency has directed the 57 local government areas and local council development areas in the state to take charge of HIV prevention, testing and treatment in their domains.
The directive was given at the SACA-LACA Coordination Meeting on Wednesday as the state prepares for a statewide HIV screening exercise.
Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Dr Folakemi Animashaun, said the success of the exercise will not be measured by the number of people tested, but by how many people are linked to treatment and retained in care.
Animashaun said Lagos HIV response must move from state level planning to communities where people live and work.
She urged local authorities to deliberately reach underserved populations in markets, schools, workplaces, motor parks, faith-based centres and other places where residents may not visit health facilities regularly.
“The journey does not end with the positive result. In many ways, that is where our responsibility becomes even more important,” she said, emphasising prompt linkage to treatment, adherence support and viral load monitoring.
According to her, LGAs and LCDAs are better positioned to identify missed communities and populations because of their closeness to residents and local health facilities.
She therefore urged them to see themselves as co-owners of the state HIV programme rather than just recipients of interventions from LSACA.
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