Lagos State remains significant in the trajectory of HIV/AIDS epidemic control in Nigeria, and an important area of focus for the delivery of HIV/AIDS services in the country, because of its population, geographic location, diversity, and status as a major gateway to the rest of the Nigeria.
The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) administered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing an Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) surge program in Lagos State to identify and provide treatment to approximately 60,000 People Living with HIV (PLHIV) who have not previously received such treatment.
On October 31, Consul-General Claire Pierangelo led a U.S. delegation on a courtesy and advocacy visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at Government House, Ikeja, to highlight the long-standing USG support to Lagos State and the U.S. Government’s $75 million budget increase for HIV control activities in Nigeria, with an additional focus for ART surge activities in the State.
Consul – General Pierangelo thanked Governor Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to work with all stakeholders, as the state implements the PEPFAR ART Surge and expressed appreciation for his general cooperation with the U.S. government in order to move the State towards achieving control of the HIV epidemic.
She urged the Governor to remove all barriers hindering people living with HIV from accessing free services offered by the USG through the PEPFAR program. Specifically, she highlighted the negative effect of user-fees as a major barrier to people living with HIV accessing treatment and urged the elimination of such fees for all people living with HIV.
She also advocated for antenatal care charges for pregnant women living with the virus, and the removal of other barriers hindering PLHIV from accessing health services. “The United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria as it works to reduce and ultimately eliminate the scourge of HIV/AIDS among its people,” Consul-General Pierangelo said. She noted the increased funding to make anti-retroviral available would enable more people living with HIV to lead healthy, productive lives until the day a cure for the virus is found.
The Consul-General noted that disbursement of the additional PEPFAR HIV funds is contingent upon Nigerian federal and state governments reducing or eliminating financial barriers to PLHIV accessing services, in particular fees charged by healthcare facilities for non-essential services or those already provided by PEPFAR.
The U.S. Government recently announced support to Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Enugu States for the launch of an ART Surge, a program designed to put additional 500,000 people living with HIV on treatment. The 500,000 people being placed on treatment are in addition to the more than 700, 000 people already on treatment as part of the overall PEPFAR intervention.
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