Nigeria: Government plans 100 new AIDS centres nationwide

The Guardian (Nigeria), 23. January 2003

By Ben Ukwuoma

Faced with increasing numbers of people living with Human Immuno Deficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), the Federal Government plans to establish 100 centres for its Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARV) programme this year.

To achieve the desired results, it has also concluded arrangements for pharmaceutical companies to begin local manufacture of the anti-retroviral drugs.

The 100 centres are expected to complement the 25 centres already in place for the treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS, using generic drugs.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Alphonsus Nwosu, told The Guardian that the programme, covering 10,000 HIV/AIDS adult patients and 5,000 children had been lauded as daring and innovative by stakeholders worldwide.

"This programme has resulted in the reduction of the cost of ARVs in Nigeria from over N250,000 per patient, each year, to about N50,000.

The drug is subsidised at purchase rate of N12,000 per patient yearly.

"At N50,000 per patient per year, ARVs are cheaper in Nigeria than elsewhere in the world, and the Federal Ministry of Health is involved with the pharmaceutical companies to begin the local manufacture of ARVs in Nigeria from 2003," the minister said.

Nwosu said responses from patients undergoing treatment in the 25 centres had been very good.

"The programme is such that patients do not only take drugs, but are monitored for viral loads and other parameters for measuring 'cure' as well as keeping tabs on all patients for side effects and other responses," he explained.

The Minister stated that the number of patients eager to participate in the programme was an indication that the spread of the disease was alarming.

Nigeria is now in the epidemic phase of the AIDS pandemic.

He said the 100 health institutions to start this year would be equipped and staffed for prompt responses.

"In addition, the ministry will expand its capacity for free and voluntary testing and counselling for HIV to cover the six geo-political zones. About 100,000 HIV test kits shall be distributed to health institutions per zone.

"This programme shall be linked to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission and ARV programme," he stated.

Nwosu listed other achievements recorded last year in the fight against the dreaded disease as the provision of laboratory back-up support for HIV/AIDS containment at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos.

"This has led to the establishment of a national HIV/AIDS Database, a human virology laboratory, a National Reference Laboratory for tuberculosis and facilities in molecular biology, immunology and malaria research," he said.