Lagos Begins Statewide HIV Testing

The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) will commence a statewide free HIV testing campaign across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) from 18 November to 1 December 2025.

The initiative is a key part of activities marking the 2025 World AIDS Day and reflects the state government’s drive to widen access to HIV testing, promote early diagnosis, and strengthen linkage to care.

Through the campaign, LSACA aims to close testing gaps and deepen community awareness on prevention, management, and stigma reduction.

LSACA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Folakemi Animashaun, highlighted the importance of early detection in advancing Lagos State’s public health objectives.

“As we approach the 2025 World AIDS Day, our priority is to ensure that every resident of Lagos has the opportunity to know their HIV status in a safe, confidential, and accessible manner,” she said.

“Testing remains the gateway to prevention and treatment, and this statewide exercise underscores our commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of all Lagosians.”

Animashaun urged residents to visit the designated testing points within their LGAs and LCDAs, assuring them that the services would remain free, confidential, and non-judgmental.

Reaffirming the government’s dedication to improving healthcare access, she noted ongoing efforts to expand HIV testing and counselling centres, alongside intensified awareness campaigns aimed at curbing new infections and providing residents with comprehensive prevention and treatment resources.

Earlier in April, Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, revealed that more than 135,000 residents are currently living with HIV, underscoring the scale of the public health challenge in the state.

“135,224 residents are living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),” he said, adding that the government has expanded community outreach by engaging over 100 religious leaders as HIV and AIDS ambassadors.

The involvement of faith leaders, he explained, is intended to help reduce stigma and strengthen grassroots education, testing, and treatment uptake.

The theme for the 2025 World AIDS Day is “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response”.

According to UNAIDS, the global commemoration on 1 December 2025 will spotlight the impact of donor funding cuts on HIV response efforts while celebrating the resilience of communities sustaining progress and driving the fight against HIV forward.