The Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) has raised serious concerns over the shortage of Tuberculosis (TB) drugs and other essential medical supplies across the country. The organization also condemned the government's continued failure to adequately finance TB programs and fulfill its counterpart funding commitments to the national TB response.
Call for Emergency Declaration
NEPWHAN urged the Federal Government to immediately declare the TB commodity stock-out a public health priority and emergency requiring urgent intervention. The association further called on the Federal Executive Council to approve and release funds for the immediate procurement of these critical supplies, noting that people living with HIV who are affected by advanced HIV diseases are dying due to government inaction.
Briefing in Abuja
During a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, the National Coordinator of NEPWHAN, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, highlighted that Nigeria continues to bear one of the highest burdens of TB globally. He described the current shortage of TB medicines, diagnostics, and related commodities as a major public health emergency threatening the lives of thousands of Nigerians, particularly people living with HIV (PLHIV), among whom TB remains the leading cause of death.
Ibrahim pointed out that treatment interruptions increase the risk of severe illness, drug resistance, preventable deaths, and ongoing transmission of TB within vulnerable populations.
Risk of Drug Resistance
Also speaking, the Senior Advocacy and Marketing Manager at AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Mr. Steve Aborishade, emphasized that TB is a life-threatening disease and warned that the country might experience a surge in TB drug resistance cases as a result of the current stock-out.
