Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, has vowed greater fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state. A government statement says the governor and officials of the United States government met on Thursday.
Led by the Consul-General of the United States Consulate in Lagos, Ms. Claire Pierangelo, the officials reportedly sought Governor Sanwo-Olu’s support on implementing a $75 million budget for an Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) Surge programme.
The programme is being funded by the American government under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
The governor, the statement said, informed the US officials that the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) would be repositioned and improved to deliver better services.
The governor opined that such “strategic collaboration” will stem the number of HIV victims.
“We are going to ensure that access to the programme is open and more robust in order to realise a win-win situation envisaged by the funders”, the governor said.
Pierangelo, the Consul-General, reportedly said “over $250 million” had been spent on the HIV/AIDs fight in the last five years.
