AMLSN LAGOS PUBLICITY WING — WORLD AIDS DAY MESSAGE 2025
Theme: Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response
As the world commemorates World AIDS Day 2025, we stand with communities, professionals, and families across Nigeria reaffirming our resolve to end HIV as a public health threat. This year’s theme, “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response”, challenges us to deepen our commitment and strengthen every part of the care continuum.
In Nigeria today, over 2 million people are living with HIV. In Lagos alone, an estimated 160,000 residents live with the virus, with more than 147,000 already on antiretroviral therapy. These numbers reflect both the scale of our challenge and the progress we continue to make in expanding access to treatment and improving survival.
Globally, the picture remains similar. Across the WHO South-East Asia Region, 3.5 million people live with HIV; 88,000 were newly infected last year; and 50,000 died due to HIV-related illnesses. While 85% now know their HIV status and 72% have achieved viral suppression, the world remains short of the 95-95-95 target needed to end AIDS by 2030.
Yet even in the face of funding gaps, social barriers, and service disruptions, progress is possible. Deaths have fallen by 62% since 2015, and new infections by 32%. Innovations in diagnostics, treatment, and digital health continue to reshape the fight.
But none of these gains can be sustained without acknowledging and strengthening the frontline role of Medical Laboratory Scientists.
THE PILLAR WE STAND ON: THE ROLE OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENTISTS
Medical Laboratory Scientists remain the backbone of the HIV response often unseen, but never replaceable. Our profession carries responsibilities that shape every outcome:
▪️Early Diagnosis: We ensure accurate testing from rapid HIV screening to confirmatory assays, viral load measurement, CD4 counts, drug resistance testing, and monitoring of co-infections such as TB, hepatitis, and STIs. Early diagnosis is impossible without the MLS workforce.
▪️Treatment Monitoring & Care: Viral load testing, adherence monitoring, ART efficacy assessments, and timely detection of treatment failure are all laboratory-driven. Clinical decisions rely on our precision.
▪️Prevention: Through partner testing, antenatal screening, blood safety, surveillance of new infections, and monitoring of key populations, laboratory systems remain the core of prevention strategies.
▪️Support & Continuity of Care: From newborn screening for exposed infants to long-term patient follow-up, the laboratory remains the compass guiding clinicians, policymakers, and communities.
▪️Public Health Intelligence: Surveillance data, trend analysis, outbreak alerts, and digital laboratory information systems, including emerging AI-enabled solutions depend on our expertise to remain accurate, reliable, and ethically managed.
Without the laboratory, HIV care becomes guesswork. With the laboratory, HIV care becomes science, structure, and hope.
TRANSFORMING THE RESPONSE — A CALL TO ACTION
To truly transform the HIV response in Lagos and across Nigeria, we echo the WHO’s six strategic actions and emphasise their laboratory foundations:
▪️Expand community testing and same-day ART initiation supported by reliable diagnostics.
▪️Integrate HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis screening into antenatal services with strong laboratory systems.
▪️Ensure equitable access to new prevention tools with laboratory support for quality assurance.
▪️Strengthen digital and AI-enabled laboratory data systems for real-time surveillance and treatment retention.
▪️Secure sustainable financing for laboratory infrastructure, reagents, equipment, and workforce development.
▪️Uphold human rights, end stigma, and ensure that all care remains person-centred and scientifically grounded.
OUR COMMITMENT
As AMLSN Lagos, we reaffirm our commitment to excellence, integrity, and service. We stand with every patient, every clinician, and every community member. We strengthen the systems that safeguard public health. And we pledge to keep the laboratory at the heart of early diagnosis, comprehensive care, prevention, and lifelong support.
On this World AIDS Day 2025, let us renew our promise:
No stigma. No discrimination. No one left behind.
Together, we can overcome disruption.
Together, we can transform the response.
Together, we can end AIDS.
Adélékè O. Ọláolúwa
State Publicity Secretary