9,660 People Tested HIV Positive In Lagos Within One Year – Govt

THE Lagos State Government, yesterday. disclosed that 9, 660 residents of the state tested positive to HIV virus of the 102,279 patients examined in the last one year.

The government also said 431 healthcare facilities across the state would be shut for contravening the state healthcare standards.

The state government, however, said it was impossible to guarantee total free healthcare services for the over 18 million residents of the state, noting: "There is no adequate fund to provide the services."

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed these during the 2013 ministerial briefing on the activities of his ministry to commemorate the sixth year of Governor Babatunde Fashola's administration, said to prevent the increase in HIV virus, the state government through the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency, LASACA, distributed 520,000 male and female condoms across the state.

The commissioner also said the state government has established HIV/AIDS counselling and testing centres in health facilities across the state, a measure to check the prevalence of the scourge within the state.

He explained: "These centres provide clients with all they need on HIV/AIDS, counselling, treatment and others. It is another of our strategy, among so many to check the problem."

Kidnapping"ll end in Lagos soon, govt assures

Meantime, the state government, yesterday, assured residents that cases of kidnapping and terrorism would end very soon in the state.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State,on Political and Legislative and Power Bureau, Mr. Teslim Folami, gave the assurance during the 2013 ministerial briefing on the activities of his ministry to commemorate the sixth year of the governor's administration.

Folami said it was very unfortunate that such cases were beginning to be noticed in the state, rated as the safest in West Africa.

He said: "We realised that corruption cases, extra-judicial killing and others were increasing daily. And when one walks or drives in the street, you will be panicking not to be kidnapped.

"We know that it is the sole responsibility of the Federal Government to address such cases but since they are not forthcoming, the Lagos State government will not sit back and watch its citizens kidnapped.

"That was why we have sent the anti-terrorism bill to the state House of Assembly for passage into law and immediately it is passed, cases of kidnapping would be nipped in the bud."