Millions of Nigerians living with HIV and tuberculosis, TB, are facing difficult times due to a severe shortage of essential drugs and medical consumables across the country. The situation has worsened following the partial suspension of foreign aid by the United States, which previously funded a significant portion of Nigeria’s HIV response.

Health facilities across several states have begun rationing Antiretroviral, ARV, drugs, cutting down the usual six-month supply to one or three months. Some clinics have completely run out of stock, leaving patients in distress. In the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, Osun, and Enugu states, several treatment centers are struggling to meet the growing demand for life-saving medication.

At Wuse General Hospital in Abuja, a health worker confirmed that limited ARV supplies have forced them to reduce the quantity given to patients. Similar challenges persist at Asokoro District Hospital, where treatment centers have been left with no choice but to ration drugs to keep services running.

Outside the FCT, the situation is deteriorating. At Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and Rumuodomaya Primary Healthcare Centre, patients living with HIV and TB now receive fewer medical consumables. Some tuberculosis tests, previously free, are now being paid for due to the unavailability of test kits. The delay in restocking has put immense pressure on the little remaining supplies.

In Enugu, patients visiting Asata Primary Health Centre and Uwani Health Centre have been unable to access HIV/AIDS drugs for weeks. Medical workers at Uwani PHC admitted that they have not conducted any HIV/AIDS tests in nearly a month due to the lack of test kits. Patients who depend on regular medication are now struggling to find alternative means of treatment.

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The crisis has also hit Oyo State, where the Ilogbo Primary Healthcare Centre in Ogbomoso has no ARVs for HIV patients. A health worker at the facility expressed concern that TB drugs may soon be unavailable as well. In Ondo State, treatment centers have already stopped dispensing ARVs, as no new supplies have arrived since February.

The situation is expected to worsen with the planned withdrawal of Global Fund support for Nigeria. The international donor agency, which funds HIV treatment in four states, has announced plans to stop assistance by 2030, with a gradual phase-out beginning in 2026. This development raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of Nigeria’s HIV response, particularly in 33 states and the FCT, where PEPFAR funding plays a critical role.

Some patients have accused health workers of taking advantage of the shortage by selling ARVs for as much as N40,000. A senior program officer at the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, stated that commercializing the drugs could undermine the fight against HIV, as many patients cannot afford to buy them.

Despite the growing crisis, the federal government insists that there is no cause for alarm. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, assured that steps are being taken to address funding gaps and ensure continued treatment for patients. He acknowledged the impact of the U.S. aid cut but emphasized that Nigeria must take greater responsibility for its healthcare needs.

With foreign aid shrinking and drug shortages worsening, the fate of millions of Nigerians living with HIV and TB hangs in the balance. Health experts have warned that unless urgent measures are taken, the progress made in combating these diseases over the past two decades could be reversed.

Reported by The Guardian Newspaper