The Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening community-led interventions in the state’s HIV response through improved capacity building for peer educators and community representatives.
The Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Dr Folakemi Animashaun, stated this on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at a two-day Peer Educator Capacity Strengthening Meeting held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ikeja.
Animashaun described peer educators as an important link between communities and HIV services, noting that effective HIV programmes must extend beyond health facilities to the communities where people live and make decisions about their health.
She said peer educators play key roles in providing accurate HIV information, addressing misconceptions, promoting prevention and testing, supporting referrals and linkage to care, and encouraging treatment adherence and retention.
According to her, the training was designed to strengthen practical knowledge and skills in HIV prevention, testing services, treatment literacy, referral pathways, adherence support, community mobilisation, confidentiality, documentation and effective communication.
Animashaun urged participants to share field experiences, identify barriers to accessing HIV services and develop practical solutions to improve community-level interventions and referral mechanisms. She also stressed the importance of incorporating feedback from community networks and peer educators into programme planning and implementation.
The LSACA CEO highlighted the need for greater peer support for adolescents and young people living with HIV, noting that such support could help them understand their treatment, remain engaged in care, address stigma and psychosocial challenges, and achieve viral suppression.
She charged peer educators to maintain professionalism, empathy, respect and confidentiality while recognising the limits of their roles and referring clinical or specialised concerns to qualified healthcare providers.
Animashaun commended the Lagos State Government, implementing partners, civil society organisations, community networks and peer educators for their contributions to strengthening the state’s HIV response and improving access to healthcare services.
