Nigeria’s gradual step towards anti-retroviral drugs sufficiency
By: Chioma Umeha With four companies ready to begin production of anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria, there is hope that more People Living with HIV (PLWH) in the country will now have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs for treatment of HIV/AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) recently, said that the issue of accessibility of ARV will soon be a thing of the past when its production begins in Nigeria. Over 300 protesters under the aegis of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) shut the office of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) last November, alleging that they were unable to access anti-retroviral drugs. They further alleged that there was ongoing withdrawal of financial support to HIV/AIDS by external funding partners. NEPWHAN also complained about non-implementation of the Comprehensive Response Plan inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan to bridge the existing treatment access gaps. As early as 6am, the prot