Nigeria is set to commence the local production of antiretroviral drugs as part of efforts to combat HIV/AIDS, following the withdrawal of U.S. funding for the initiative.
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori, announced this on Friday, revealing that plans are underway to begin domestic production of HIV-related commodities before the end of 2025.
Dr. Ilori emphasized that producing HIV test kits and antiretroviral drugs locally is a crucial step in Nigeria’s strategy to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
In addition to domestic drug production, she outlined other government measures, including:
- Expanding enrollment in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
- Boosting funding and resource mobilization for states
- Strengthening advocacy efforts
- Supporting HIV vaccine research and innovation
Citing the UNAIDS 2023 report, Dr. Ilori highlighted the urgency of tackling pediatric HIV, noting that about 140,000 children (aged 0-14) in Nigeria are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded annually.
Despite progress, Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) and pediatric HIV coverage remains below 33%, far from the 95% target. While the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children, launched in 2021, initially received full financial backing, coverage still falls short of expectations.