HIV: Fed Govt, Lagos To Survey Over 11,000 Residents

Lagos State government, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), has concluded plans 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, with data collected from 6,150 households across 205 enumeration areas.
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 impact survey 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, emphasising 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. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), underscored the initiative’s human-centred nature.

“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 technical support and called on all stakeholders to ensure that 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 recognised 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.

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.