The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called for urgent investment in the local production of HIV drugs and commodities to safeguard treatment access nationwide.
ACPN Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh, said increasing domestic capacity was critical to sustaining effective HIV treatment, warning that shrinking donor funding threatened decades of progress in Nigeria’s HIV response.
In a statement marking World AIDS Day 2025 in Abuja, Ezeh said the theme, “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response,” underscored Nigeria’s responsibility to strengthen internal capacity and reduce dependence on external support.
He noted that declining international funding—particularly from the United States—posed serious risks to HIV prevention, treatment and care. He described the situation as a wake-up call for government action, stressing that increased local investment and clear policy commitment were necessary to avoid major setbacks.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s achievements driven by innovation and partnerships, Ezeh said new geopolitical and financial pressures required evidence-based approaches anchored on collaboration, technology and sustainable financing for the national HIV programme.
Citing national data, he said Nigeria recorded an estimated 1,400 new infections and 50,000 AIDS-related deaths weekly in 2023, with 1.9 million people currently living with HIV.
He called for the prioritization of modern treatment options, expanded access through community pharmacies and stronger domestic capacity for reliable supplies to ensure uninterrupted treatment for people living with HIV.
Ezeh advocated wider adoption of long-acting antiretrovirals such as Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine, saying they would ease pill burden, improve adherence and enhance treatment retention.
He also stressed the need for deeper integration of community pharmacists into the HIV response to strengthen case identification, testing, counseling and data reporting amid uncertain donor funding.
Ezeh emphasized that scaling up local manufacturing of antiretrovirals, diagnostics and essential consumables was vital for long-term sustainability and to prevent drug stockouts.
He expressed solidarity with people living with HIV and commended stakeholders working to end the epidemic, urging stronger leadership, renewed commitment and policies that support sustainable health systems.
Calls for Legal Protection and Funding Reforms in Kogi
The Civil Society for Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in Nigeria (CiSHAN) has urged Governor Ahmed Ododo to sign the Kogi State HIV Anti-Stigma Bill into law.
The group said the bill would provide essential protection for people living with HIV, reduce discrimination and encourage disclosure, care-seeking and access to services.
CiSHAN warned that continued dependence on donor funding threatened treatment continuity, outreach, testing services and supply chains in the state. It cited UNAIDS reports indicating that global donor cuts were disrupting HIV services and leaving millions vulnerable.
The organization referenced KOSACA data showing more than 50,000 people living with HIV in Kogi, with 36,066 on treatment and about 19,000 not accessing care—raising risks of illness, transmission and avoidable deaths.
It added that the KOSACA Board remained inadequately constituted, limiting leadership and weakening coordination of the state’s HIV response. CiSHAN called for immediate reconstitution of the board to strengthen programme stability.
Anambra Reports Progress but Warns of Persistent Challenges
A Consultant Physician, Dr Uche Umeh, said 80,258 people were living with HIV in Anambra State, with 83 per cent currently on antiretroviral therapy—reflecting improved coverage through community partnerships and state interventions.
She noted that 40.8 million people were living with HIV globally, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2024. Nigeria accounted for 1.9 million people living with HIV.
Umeh said Anambra recorded 93,000 people living with HIV in 2024, reducing to 80,258 in 2025. She added that the state’s 2.4 per cent prevalence rate remained driven by key populations, including MSM, transgender individuals, sex workers and injecting-drug users.
She urged wider adoption of oral and injectable PrEP, saying it offered up to 96 per cent protection against new infections when used correctly.
Umeh described PrEP as essential for high-risk groups seeking reliable prevention options.
Stigma Still a Barrier to HIV Response
Prof. Ngozi Joe-Ikechebelu, Lead, Collaboration and Linkages Directorate at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), lamented the persistent stigma surrounding HIV, noting that it remained a major barrier to prevention and treatment.
She stressed the need for sustained community engagement to reduce discrimination and ensure that people living with HIV could access services without fear.
COOU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kate Omenugha, urged Nigerians to show empathy and support people living with HIV, emphasizing empowerment and inclusion to enable them live meaningful and productive lives.
Hope Givers leader, Gladys Ezembu, encouraged people living with HIV to remain committed to treatment, noting that a positive diagnosis was not a death sentence and should not diminish one’s confidence or quality of life.
