HIV is no longer a death sentence if the person eats well and routinely takes the prescribed drugs. Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), Dr. Oluseyi Temowo, has said.
He spoke at the kick-off of the Health Initiative Programme for rural dwellers in Poka, Eredo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
It was organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and supported by the wife of Lagos State Governor Mrs. Bolanle Ambode.
According to Temowo, it will be a ‘crime’ for anybody to die of HIV/AIDS in the state because the government has put in place various measures to check the spread, treatment and eradication of the disease from the state by year 2030.
He said with the support given to the agency by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, a full-scale HIV testing services, to align with the global initiative of 90-90-90, has begun across the state.
He explained that by 2020, 90 per cent of the people would have known their HIV status and 90 per cent of those that know their status would be able to access Anti-retroval Treatment (ART), while those accessing ART would have suppressed viral load and would not be able to infect others.
“Therefore, ‘by 2030 in Lagos, we would have been able to eradicate HIV/AIDS. The agency trucks for on-the-go HIV services are moving to the nooks and crannies of the state to conduct free HIV testing services. This is in addition to the residents being able to access free HIV Counseling and Testing Services across the government hospitals in the state,”he said.
Thanking the National Youth Service Corps members for the programme, Mrs. Ambode enjoined every resident of Poka and Epe to come out to access the free medical outreach in the environment.
Present on the occasion were Alara of Ilora Oba Akanmu Okunola Adesanya; Oba of Noforija, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja; and Oba of Poka, Oba Aileri.
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