…500,000 Nigerians With HIV Still Untraced
The Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) has raised alarm over the possibility that all foreign programmes supporting the treatment of HIV patients in Nigeria may end by 2030.
In an interview with THE WHISTLER, NEPWHAN’s Communications and Advocacy Specialist, Mr. Chris Ikpe, said Nigeria should seek ways to manage the production or procurement of drugs to meet the demands of HIV patients in the country.
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, had on January 20, signed an executive order halting the disbursement of developmental assistance funds to foreign countries and NGOs, pending a review of the programmes for efficiency and alignment with America’s interests.
Trump’s order targeted the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is the main organisation responsible for administering foreign aid and development assistance to Nigeria and other countries.
The review was scheduled to take 90 days, however, a waiver was issued for life-threatening diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Ebola, Malaria, etc.
The waiver announced by the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, was intended to ensure the continuous availability of drugs and treatments to all those who depend on such assistance for survival.
Based on the announcement, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) temporarily stopped receiving funding from the U.S government, and when funding was restarted, it could no longer function in full capacity, thereby causing serious concern among global health bodies.
PEPFAR, which has been a cornerstone of the international response to HIV/AIDS for over 20 years, operates in over 50 countries worldwide and has saved more than 26 million lives since its inception, according to the World Health Organization.
Ikpe told THE WHISTLER that NEPWHAN has been making efforts to engage the Nigerian government to address unforeseen challenges, following the government’s allocation of N4.8bn for the procurement of 150,000 HIV treatment packs to ensure continuous care for those living with the virus.
“When we got the directive from the U.S government, there were consultations to ensure that whatever funding USAID is giving continues. The U.S government is working through some agencies, but basically with the USAID, PEPFAR and the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) for various countries, of which Nigeria is one of them.
“NEPWHAN is an umbrella that covers everyone living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), so even if you are not our direct member, the groups you belong to are still under NEPWHAN,” he said.
Ikpe noted that after the Trump administration halted funding for USAID, “We had a conversation with the Federal Ministry of Health and National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) on the issue. What they did was map out N4.8bn to move into action quickly.
“You know the funding from USAID was stopped for three months, I think the three months should elapse this March, so the idea is to ensure that there continues to be availability of drugs. So the Federal government provided the funds to bridge the gap.
“PEPFAR was able to do an interval consultation with the US government, and there were waivers on life-threatening diseases—that funding should continue, for diseases like HIV, Malaria, Ebola, etc.
“The N4.8bn may not be enough to cater for about two million persons living with HIV and AIDS, but with that waiver, there was a soft landing, so there is a surplus of Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs),” he said.
Ikpe, however, noted that the USAID was not the only organisation that funds HIV programs in Nigeria, stating that other groups fund HIV Programmes.
“For instance, NEPWHAN is running a programme funded by the Global Fund, which has been supporting HIV programmes since, I think, 2017.
“So we have a programmme which started in 2024 and runs till 2026. This programmme will ensure the availability of ARVs across the country. This will ensure that those who are on treatment will be able to access these drugs free of charge as long as they go to government hospitals.
“What we do not know is what will happen in 2026 when it runs out, but then the US government is still consulting, so we are hoping that we will hear from them by the end of this March.
“But if the programmes are not life-threatening, they remain stopped by the U.S government. We have some colleagues who were working in key programmes who have stopped working, because their programmes were not among those granted waivers, but HIV was covered.
“What the U.S government did was try to downsize and choose a very few staff that will ensure there is movement of those drugs, but the global fund is there, to ensure that we who are working in these HIV programmes do not lose our jobs,” he stated.
The NEPWHAN advocacy specialist expressed concern that funding from foreign organisations towards HIV/AIDS might be ending in 2030, including the Global Fund, which remains the highest donor.
“We are aware that all the HIV programmes and funding might be ending in 2030 (including the USAID and Global Fund). So what it means is that Nigeria will have to find a way to bear the burden of supporting persons living with HIV/AIDS.
“One of the discussions we are having with the Nigerian government is to see how we can start producing these drugs within the country.
“It is possible that USAID might stop funding HIV/AIDS programmes after their review, and I don’t know what the Nigerian government is going to do aside from the N4.8bn funding. There might be plans by the Federal government to extend the funding for HIV programmes beyond the three months they budgeted funds for,” Ikpe said.
He highlighted the efforts NEPWHAN made in response to the panic created by the news on USAID funding, stating that the organization began to sensitize their members and the general public to inform them that everything was under control, as there are other sources of funds for people living with HIV.
“When people got this message, they started making efforts to buy these drugs, so what we did was announce that HIV drugs remain free, so if anyone asks for payment, the person should be reported. We have also encouraged everyone to stay on their drugs when they are prescribed, because they are not sure the treatment will continue. They should ensure they stay on their drugs and not skip any days.
“We have various hospitals where they can go, in order to get the drugs. In case they can’t find it, we have a number they can call. Our hotline is 6222, that’s the National toll free line for enquiries on drugs. For NEPWHAN, we have a WhatsApp number 08024501148, they can also reach us with it.
“So, regardless of what happens, there are also internal consultations for the availability of drugs and funding,” he assured.
NIGERIA YET TO TRACE 500,000 HIV-INFECTED PERSONS
Responding to questions on whether HIV treatment is better in Nigeria, compared to other countries, Ikpe stated: “It depends on what you mean by whether it is better. When we say HIV treatment is better is when persons living with HIV/AIDS have achieved viral suppression.
“There was this goal, that by 2023, 90% of persons living with HIV/AIDS would have known their status, commenced treatment and achieved viral suppression, so that they would not be able to transmit it to anyone else even if we have intimacy with the persons. But Nigeria was not been able to meet that target, and we extended it to 2030, hoping that by that time, 95% of persons living with HIV/AIDS would have achieved viral suppression.
“Currently, we have about 2.5 million persons living with HIV/AIDS, we have been able to find 2 million, but 500,000 persons have not been found yet. These 500,000 persons may not even know they have HIV, and what it means is they will keep living and spreading the virus around. Our target is that by 2030, 95% of these persons would have known their status.
“By various stakeholder engagement, almost everyone we have found is on treatment, which is better than what we had in previous years. What we want to achieve is that they continue to take their drugs, so that they can achieve viral suppression. So we are chasing that target, and by the end of this year, we can achieve that.
“Other countries have been able to achieve that and beyond, for example, South Africa. But we are working so hard with numerous campaigns to ensure that people know their status. The major problem is not knowing your status, but we are working towards finding them,” he explained.
On if there’s a cure in sight for the virus, Ikpe said, “No, I don’t have any idea, but I know how effective ARVs are, once you are diagnosed, within three months, you can achieve viral suppression.
“What we are working on, however, is to find a way for people not to take this drug every day. For instance, if you have to take it every day, you have to set an alarm as it has to be at the same time.
“There are technologies and advancements that ensure that people just get injected once in six months, and that should cover them, making them take the ARV twice a year. It is in other countries but not in Nigeria yet because of the cost,” Ikpe said.
Meanwhile, the WHO, in a statement on March 17, listed Nigeria among eight countries that would be greatly affected by the halt of foreign aid by the United States.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated that the halt of foreign aid by the U.S. government could put millions of lives at risk as it has disrupted the supply of HIV treatments in Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine.
He also warned that this setback could lead to over 10 million new HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths while stating that the efforts to tackle HIV, polio, malaria, and tuberculosis have been impacted since the implementation of the pause on U.S. foreign aid.
Responding, NACA in a statement, reassured Nigerians, particularly those living with HIV, that the country has a steady supply of antiretroviral drugs.
The Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has taken proactive measures to address the potential shortage of HIV drugs in the country.
The statement partly read, “The Federal Executive Council approved $1.07bn to finance the healthcare sector reforms under the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity programme, and also approved N4.8bn for HIV treatment, while the Nigerian Senate also recently allocated an additional N300bn to the health sector in the 2025 budget.
“These allocations are part of the government’s efforts to cushion the impact of the US government’s aid pause and close the immediate funding gap.
“While acknowledging the US government’s support and partnership over the past two decades, the Nigerian government sees this pause as an opportunity to mobilise resources, take ownership, and ensure the sustainability of HIV response in the country.
“We want to assure Nigerians, particularly those living with HIV, that there is no shortage of drugs and consumables, and no immediate stop of services for HIV treatment, testing, and prevention in Nigeria. Our treatment centers and pharmacies will continue to have sufficient anti-retroviral drugs, ensuring uninterrupted access to care.”
NACA restated its commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS and ensuring that all Nigerians have access to quality HIV prevention, treatment, and care services.
2030 Countdown: Nigeria’s 2 Million HIV Patients Face Uncertain Future — NEPWHAN is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Source: The Whistler
