Lagos Begins Free HIV Testing For 2025 World AIDS Day

The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) has launched a statewide HIV testing campaign that will run from 18 November to 1 December 2025 across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The exercise is one of the key activities planned for the 2025 World AIDS Day and forms part of the state’s broader efforts to expand access to HIV testing, promote early detection, and strengthen links to treatment and care.

In an announcement posted on its X handle on Tuesday, LSACA said the outreach aims to close persistent gaps in HIV testing while boosting public awareness on prevention, treatment options, and stigma reduction. The agency has deployed trained counsellor-testers, testing kits, condoms, and Information, Education and Communication materials to communities across the state.

LSACA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Folakemi Animashaun, underscored the significance of early testing as the state prepares for this year’s World AIDS Day.

“As we approach the 2025 World AIDS Day, our priority is to ensure that every resident of Lagos has the opportunity to know their HIV status in a safe, confidential, and accessible manner,” she said. “Testing remains the gateway to prevention and treatment, and this statewide exercise underscores our commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of all Lagosians.”

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Animashaun added that the agency is collaborating with development partners and community-based organisations to extend services to underserved areas, encouraging residents to take advantage of the free testing points set up across LGAs and LCDAs.

She also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving access to HIV services, noting ongoing expansion of testing and counselling centres and intensified awareness campaigns aimed at reducing new infections.

LSACA urged residents to participate in the free screening, stressing that knowing one’s HIV status is essential to curbing transmission and building an HIV-free future.

Established to coordinate Lagos State’s response to the HIV epidemic, LSACA works with government ministries, development organisations, civil society groups, and community structures to implement HIV prevention, treatment, and care programmes across the state.