Access Holdings PLC, the headline sponsors of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, has partnered with HACEY Health Initiative and the Nigeria Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA) to deepen HIV/AIDS awareness and testing in Lagos.
The initiative, launched ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon scheduled for Saturday, February 10, aims to impact 20,000 individuals with the awareness of best practices to manage their health and wellbeing as well as reduce the spread of the virus.
To this end, Access Holdings, through its implementation partners, last week flagged off a health drive that will extend to the Marathon grounds, and see participants benefit from free HIV screening and counselling.
Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Head of Group Sustainability at Access Holdings PLC, emphasised the company's commitment, stating, “Our partnership is demonstrative of our dedication to leveraging large-scale events like the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon to drive positive change in our communities. By prioritising HIV/AIDS awareness and testing, we are taking significant steps towards a healthier, informed and more empowered society.”
Over the previous editions of the Marathon, Access Holdings' HIV testing and counselling drives have directly benefited over 13,618 individuals. Additionally, the Group and its partners have increased awareness of HIV prevention and safety across different LCDAs in Lagos, reaching over 50,010 people. Through these efforts, 63 reactive patients have received referral care and psychosocial support, while 22,272 condoms and IEC materials have been distributed.
The 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, an iconic event celebrating athleticism and community engagement, has put Lagos on the world map. Regarded as the world’s fastest growing road race, the Marathon has become one of the continent’s biggest platforms for cultural exchange, contributing significantly to tourism and as a result, boosting the continent’s economy.
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Access Holdings Plc
Access Holdings Plc is a leading multinational financial services group that offers commercial banking, lending, payment, insurance, and asset management services. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, Access Holdings operates through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 20 countries, and 60+ million customers.
Access transitioned into a holding company to drive rapid growth and become a full-scale ecosystem player offering interconnected services across customer needs. Established in 2022, Access Holdings Plc consists of the Access Bank Group; Access Pensions; a Payment and Switching Services Company; a Digital Lending Company, and an Insurance Brokerage Company. The banking vertical serves its various markets through four business segments: Retail, Business, Commercial and Corporate, and has enjoyed what is it arguably Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last eighteen years, becoming one of Africa’s largest retail banks by customer base and Sub-Saharan Africa's largest bank by total assets.
Access Holdings strives to deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible, and socially relevant, helping customers to access more and achieve their dreams.