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Tag: LSACA

  • ‘LSACA is increasing HIV testing, counselling’

    The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) has scaled up HIV counseling and testing in the state.

    Its Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Olusegun Ogboye said his agency had a meeting with the technical work group and Inter Local Action Committee on AIDS (ILACA) to re-strategise on how to make people know their status.

    Ogboye, who underscored the importance of the meeting as a pivot to increasing HIV counseling and testing in Lagos State, said LSACA has conducted outreach programmes in Oshodi and Ejigbo Local Government Areas.

    This, he said, was done in partnership with the National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA) SURE-P Project.

    The agency, he said, also participated in NACA organised stakeholders’ meeting to engage private facilities to scale up the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT).

    He enjoined workers to know their status by going for HIV Counseling and testing because a healthy workforce will increase the productivity of the state.

    The CEO said HIV positive people could be symptom free for 10 years, and as such, infect other people if not checked and treated.

    This, he said, was the reason behind his agency’s meeting with the technical work group (TWG) and advisory and implementation team.

    The outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), he said, affected the publicity and enlightenment campaign on HIV/AIDS prevention, hence the need to scale up HIV counseling and testing (HCT).

  • ‘Why HIVand AIDS is prevalent in Lagos’

    ‘Why HIVand AIDS is prevalent in Lagos’

    FIVE out of every 100 people in Lagos is living with HIV and AIDS, the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) stated yesterday.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Tokunbo Dabiri, explained that the high ratio is not unconnected to the large population of the state.

    She spoke at the World AIDS Day programme in Lagos organised by LSACA.

    It has as theme ‘Focus, partner, achieve: an AIDS free generation.’

    Describing Lagos State as cosmopolitan, Dabiri added that it its also the melting pot accounting for about 21 million inhabitants. “This is why the disease is common in the state,” she noted.

    She urged residents, who have not been tested to do so to confirm their status, adding: “The statistics the state is presently working with is 5.1 per cent. It can be more if we all know our status. The national figure, however, is 3.4 per cent.”

    Besides, she said the high prevalence rate has made the state government to collaborate with neighbouring Ogun and Oyo states on counselling and testing for HIV and AIDS at the borders in order to reduce the disease burden.

  • Lagos AIDS control increases assistance

    Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) has scaled up its HIV counselling and testing to prevent new infections, AIDS- related deaths and stigmatisation, according to its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tokunbo Dabiri.

    The agency’s main objective, she said, is to reduce the disease’s prevalence in the state.

    Dr Dabiri said the state was determined to get to zero new infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and stigmatisation.

    She said LSACA has scaled up community outreach campaign of HIV counseling and testing (HCT) for early detection and treatment.

    Dr Dabiri, who is  a  Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor, said people living with HIV may not show any symptom for more than 10 years but it does not mean they do not have the disease. “They will continue to infect others if not checked and treated,” she said.

    She said: “Being a positive person doesn’t translate to death with appropriate medication. That is why knowing one’s status is important”.

    She said the initiative would allow people to know their status early to take appropriate steps to prevent transmission.

  • HIV infection drops in Lagos, says agency

    HIV infection drops in Lagos, says agency

    The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) yesterday spoke of a decrease in infection, saying 15,831 of the 289,044 screened for the disease between last December and this month, tested positive.

    It said 105,304 people were tested through community outreach and 183,740 at health facilities.

    Speaking at an event to mark the World AIDS Day with the theme: Getting to zero on HIV and AIDS scourge, LSACA Chief Executive Officer Dr Tokunbo Dabiri said the programme tagged 1.3 by 13 project was launched last year, adding that things have not been easy.

    Lagos State House of Assembly committee on Health Chairman Hon Avoseh Hodewu Suru urged the people to know their status, saying it is through this that the country can reduce the spread of the disease. “Then we can take precautionary measures to prevent it,” he added.

    Suru said the immunity of those who have the disease might be consumed by the virus if they did not know their status early enough.

    He enjoined the people to go for test so that the country can get to zero on the disease.

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties Dr Aderemi Desalu said getting zero new infection was possible where there is the political will.

    He said the high prevalent rate in the state was because more people were coming to live here.

    All those who tested positive and are living with the disease get treatment unlike in the past when positive people will need to sell their house or property to access care, he said.

    Head, Project 1.3 by 13 Dr Olusegun Ogboye said there was a decrease in new infection, adding that voluntary testing will reduce the disease.

    Ogboye said the country HIV prevalence was 4.1 per cent while that of Lagos State is 5.1 per cent because of its population among other factors. “The disease prevalence is still high in the country,” he added.