World Health Organization declared COVID 19 (C-19) a pandemic on 11th of March, 2020 and Nigeria confirmed its first case in Lagos State on 27th February 2020 at the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). The government declared Lagos State as the epicenter of C-19 infection in the country because of the high number of cases it experienced.  This resulted in a state lock down from 30th March 2020 with phased and gradual easing of lock down measures over 10 weeks. CIHP programmed in difficult times to ensure no service delivery interruptions while ensuring that staff followed C-19 protocols in adapting to the new normal.

CIHP team and the COVID – 19 diagnosis team at the COVID-19 Testing Centre in Virology Laboratory in LUTH

We instituted a C-19 Response Team responsible for compliance check round the offices for compliance with the C-19 prevention measures, Standard Operating Procedures and protocols.

We implemented and integrated community measures such as partnering with GIG, a private courier services; Positive Action for Treatment Access (PATA), a Civil Society Organization; Community Pharmacies (CPs) and a HIV consortium group for refills of HIV medications.

We supported LUTH virology laboratory with commodities to ensure continuous COVID-19 tests.

Table showing results

Other community measures including:

  • Evening Community HIV Testing Services: This involves extending sample collection time till evening for clients who have to go to work
  • Cluster Community Viral Load Bleeding: This involves gathering clients who are due for viral load in the same community and fixing a date and time for their samples to be collected.
  • Securing Essential Duty Pass for ease of movement during the lockdown.