Word of Commitment given to end HIV by 2030- Lagos state speaker

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has pledged the continued support and commitment of the Lagos House of Assembly to making Lagos State free of Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV)and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by 2030.

Obasa said this early in the week at the HIV and AIDS Walk to mark 2016 World AIDS Day organised by the Lagos State Aids Control Agency.

The walk tagged ‘Hands up for HIV prevention,’ had hundreds of people drawn from government agencies, civil society groups, international non-governmental organisation, youth groups, walk from Ikeja Local Government office through Allen Avenue to the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Obasa said “We believe that the good health of our people come up first in our list of priorities; when there is health, there is wealth. There is no amount of investment or economic emancipation or social infrastructure that we may provide for the people that they will enjoy without good health.”

While acknowledging the effort of the state government in awareness creation and pragmatic support programmes for HIV in Lagos, Obasa said the government will continue to support efforts to end the scourge in the state.

“We will be with your continuous and persistent support to end HIV and AIDS in Lagos. An injury to one is an injury to all and we are ready to play our role to make the state free of this disease,” he said.

He said the House is prepared to work the Governor on his promised to eradicate HIV and AIDS by 2030.

He appealed to Lagosians to take advantage of the spirited effort of the Lagos State government in ensuring that the hospitals are filled with necessary medication to manage the scourge of AIDS in the state.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Aids Control Agency, Dr. Oluseyi Temowo, said that the walk was to raise awareness among Lagosians on the prevention, treatment and load reduction of HIV through its 909090 campaign programnme.

He said that it is a crime for anyone to die of HIV and AIDS in Lagos because it is no longer a death sentence and Lagos state is making frantic effort to make drugs available and tests free for all persons living with HIV in Lagos.

He added that the world has agreed that the scourged has remained a scourge for too long a time and it will be an abuse to humanity if it is allowed to continue unabated.

He therefore called for proper investment, education and enlightenment of the people towards achieving this goal.