By Admin
The Lagos State Government has moved to clarify recent media reports claiming the state recorded the highest number of new HIV infections in Nigeria in 2025, stressing that the widely quoted figure refers to newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases and not new HIV infections acquired within the year.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Conference Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, said the figures had been widely misunderstood and required technical clarification to prevent misinformation, unnecessary public anxiety, stigma and discrimination.
She maintained that Lagos' HIV response remains robust, evidence-driven and firmly on course, noting that programme data continue to show steady progress in prevention, treatment and overall epidemic control.
Animashaun explained that the widely reported figure of 10,430 should not be interpreted as the number of people who contracted HIV in 2025.
"The figure being circulated represents newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases. These are individuals who tested positive during the reporting period, many of whom may have contracted HIV several years earlier but were only recently diagnosed," she said.
She added that the number also includes people who came into Lagos for HIV testing or treatment, referrals from other states, and individuals identified through the state's expanded HIV testing programme.
According to her, it is important to distinguish between newly diagnosed HIV-positive cases and new HIV infections because they are two entirely different epidemiological indicators.
While newly diagnosed cases indicate when a person is confirmed to be HIV positive, new HIV infections refer to individuals who actually acquired the virus within a defined period. Those figures, she explained, are estimated using epidemiological surveillance and scientific modelling.
Animashaun cautioned that treating both indicators as though they mean the same thing could create unnecessary fear, discourage people from getting tested and undermine years of progress in HIV control.
To promote transparency, she said the Lagos State Government is engaging relevant stakeholders to better understand the methodology, indicator definitions and reporting assumptions behind the published figures, with the goal of ensuring accurate interpretation and responsible public communication.
Animashaun said Lagos' status as Nigeria's most populous state, its commercial hub and one of the country's largest healthcare referral centres naturally results in high volumes of HIV testing, diagnosis and patient referrals.
She noted that stronger surveillance systems and broader access to healthcare services inevitably lead to higher case detection, adding that this should not be mistaken for evidence that the epidemic is worsening.
"The ability to identify more HIV-positive individuals is, in many respects, a reflection of the strength of our health system rather than an indication that HIV transmission is increasing," she said.
Presenting programme performance data, the LSACA chief said Lagos carried out 504,800 HIV tests in 2025, with 11,940 people testing positive, representing a positivity yield of 2.4 per cent.
She said the trend has continued to improve in 2026. During the first quarter alone, the state conducted 179,229 HIV tests, identified 3,390 HIV-positive cases, while the positivity yield dropped further to 1.9 per cent.
According to her, the declining positivity rate despite increased testing is a key epidemiological indicator that HIV control efforts are producing encouraging results.
Animashaun also disclosed that 147,904 people were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) across Lagos State as of 2025, with 97 per cent achieving viral suppression, which she described as a major public health milestone.
She further highlighted progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, noting that the Early Infant Diagnosis positivity rate fell from 5.1 per cent in 2020 to 1.5 per cent in 2025.
She said the figures demonstrate the significant improvements made in maternal and child HIV services.
"These indicators collectively demonstrate that Lagos has built one of Nigeria's strongest HIV surveillance, prevention, treatment and response systems," she stated.
Animashaun said Lagos has already begun implementing a comprehensive HIV Response Acceleration Plan covering July to September 2026.
The plan is designed to expand HIV testing, strengthen treatment linkage and retention, improve service quality, scale up community-based prevention, enhance data quality and accountability, and ensure long-term sustainability across all 20 Local Government Areas and 57 Local Council Development Areas.
She also disclosed that the state is expanding access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) through both oral medication and long-acting injectable PrEP administered every two months.
In what she described as a landmark achievement, Animashaun announced that Lagos has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to independently procure antiretroviral medicines for people living with HIV.
She said the first batch of state-funded ARVs is expected to arrive before the end of August 2026, helping to guarantee uninterrupted treatment while reducing reliance on donor funding.
According to her, the initiative reflects Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu's commitment to strengthening health security, ensuring a reliable supply of HIV medicines and building a sustainable, state-owned HIV response.
She added that Lagos is also exploring opportunities for local production of HIV medicines by drawing on international best practices, including Kenya's pharmaceutical experience, while working with global partners such as UNAIDS.
The move, she said, is expected to strengthen supply chain resilience, lower long-term treatment costs and further reinforce the state's health system.
Animashaun urged residents not to panic but to know their HIV status and take advantage of available prevention, testing, treatment and care services.
She also appealed to the public to rely only on verified public health information and reject every form of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
"HIV remains preventable and manageable. With early diagnosis and sustained treatment, people living with HIV can live long, healthy, productive and fulfilling lives," she said.
Reaffirming the state's commitment to evidence-based policies and strategic partnerships, she said Lagos would continue investing in resilient health systems to preserve the gains recorded over the past two decades.
Summing up the state's position, she said: "Lagos is not defined by the number of people it tests. Lagos is defined by the strength of its response."
She added that the true measure of any health system is not the number of challenges it encounters, but how effectively it responds to them.
According to Animashaun, Lagos has chosen to confront HIV with science, compassion, innovation and unwavering political commitment while laying the foundation for a sustainable, locally driven HIV response that protects the health and wellbeing of every resident.
