HIV/AIDS: Sanwo-Olu calls for passage, implementation of protective laws

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on State Houses of Assembly across the country to prioritise the passage and implementation of protective laws that guarantee sustained funding, end stigma, and support inclusive service delivery regarding persons with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, gave the charge on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the 7th National Council on AIDS (NCA), held at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, calling for stronger inter-state collaboration and sustained federal leadership.

Besides, the governor also proposed the institutionalisation of quarterly inter-SACA review meetings for the nation to continuously track progress and adapt swiftly, saying that the nation “must shift from dependency to sustainability, from fragmented responses to coordinated systems, and from ad hoc programming to long-term strategic planning.”

“I also call on State Houses of Assembly across Nigeria to prioritise the passage and implementation of protective laws that guarantee sustained funding, end stigma, and support inclusive service delivery. We must shift from dependency to sustainability, from fragmented responses to coordinated systems, from ad hoc programming to long-term strategic planning.”

Sanwo-Olu, however, highlighted some of the measures the Lagos State Government had put in place to integrate HIV services into its broader health system, saying that these include expanding access to community-based testing and treatment, and strengthening linkages to care.

According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, the state government launched the Lagos State HIV Trust Fund as a bold step towards sustainable domestic financing, adding that his administration would continue to deepen collaboration with faith-based, traditional, and private sector actors.

“Our ongoing reform of the Lagos State HIV Anti-Stigma Law demonstrates our belief in dignity, inclusion, and justice for all persons living with HIV.

“We are aligning our HIV response with our Universal Health Coverage agenda because health must be equitable, accessible, and people-driven,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu noted that as global donor support gradually diminishes, it had become imperative for the nation to take full ownership of its national HIV response and build sustainable, resilient systems that can outlast policy shifts and funding cycles.

He, however, cautioned that the Council must not become an annual routine, but must serve as a launchpad for deeper commitment, wider ownership, and faster impact, urging that the experience gathered and the resolutions at the three-day council meeting should not remain on paper, but must find life in the nation’s budgets, its policies, its legislative actions, and above all, in the lives of the people.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria Control in Nigeria, Hon Amobi Godwin Ogah, in his goodwill message, assured that the committee would continue to advocate for increased domestic funding for the response against HIV in the country.

The committee boss noted that an estimated \$8 billion was needed annually to sustain the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country, adding that the committee had continued to provide legislative support for the comprehensive sustainability of the HIV response.

He emphasised that ending the HIV epidemic required not just improved diagnosis and treatment, but also attention to the broader health needs of people living with HIV.

“Therefore, we in the parliament will continue to advocate that the Nigerian government must take the lead in the fight against AIDS by increasing funding to the sector,” he said.

Earlier in her welcome address, Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori, stated that the annual meeting was a testament to the agency’s commitment to address existing gaps in HIV policies and programme implementation, and ensure that no one was left behind in its journey towards an AIDS-free Nigeria driven by ownership and sustainability.

Ilori pledged that the agency would continue to serve as Nigeria’s highest policy-making body for HIV/AIDS coordination, bringing together national and sub-national actors to align strategies for a sustainable HIV response.

She also stressed the need to accelerate the implementation of the National HIV, TB, and Malaria Sustainability Plan, ensuring that every Nigerian has access to comprehensive prevention, treatment, care, and support services.

The NACA boss commended the Lagos State Government for its commitment to integrate HIV services into its broader health system, describing the government’s leadership in the health sector as truly inspiring.

In his address, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, urged the Nigerian government to prioritise strengthening domestic resource mobilisation and ensuring that HIV funding was institutionalised at both the national and sub-national levels.

The commissioner stated that sustainability extends beyond financial resources, emphasising the need for stronger leadership, adaptive systems, innovation, and accountable governance.

Abayomi, however, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to reducing mother-to-child transmission and scaling up treatment and prevention initiatives.

“As a country and as states, we must take ownership. We must ensure HIV care becomes cheaper, more accessible, and integrated into routine health services. And we must treat HIV as a public health security priority,” he said.

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