Na deep matter wey dey happen for Naija o! Dem dermatologists don raise alarm say leprosy drugs don vanish since two years, and na big wahala dis one be for our health system!
The Nigerian Association of Dermatologists don talk say all the regulatory wahala and administrative delays don make am impossible for dem to clear and distribute the meds wey World Health Organisation don provide. Na who go suffer dis kind gobe? Na the leprosy patients wey dey suffer for states wey no get access to treatment!
Na here e dey choke: WHO talk say leprosy, wey dem sabi call Hansen disease, na chronic bacterial illness wey dey affect skin, nerves, and e get serious side effect if e no dey treated. E don dey affect over 120 countries with about 200,000 new cases every year, yet dem dey ignore am for Naija wey don meet WHO elimination target for 2000!
But e no be say everything don clear yet. Naija still dey struggle with over 3,500 new cases wey dey happen every year, and plenty patients still dey face stigma and disability because dem no fit get the treatment wey dem need. Dem run out of stock for early 2024, and wetin cause am? Bureaucratic delays and new testing regulations wey no gree allow the drugs come enter Naija!
Even when WHO don finally send drugs for 2025 after everybody don been holla, wetin happen? The Nigerian Association of Dermatologists still talk say the drugs no fit come out yet, because of regulatory wahala! Na wah o!
As we dey mark World Leprosy Day for 2026, the association don use mouth yarn say making this thing sweet: Leprosy fit dey cured when dem give the patients the right meds. But when dem no fit get the drugs, den wahala go start again! Dem dey talk say untreated leprosy fit cause serious nerve damage, disability, and e go turn to community transmission. E be like say na so dem go dey carry the matter go community.
Dem don also highlight how leprosy stigma no go fit finish if patients no fit access treatment. E clear say stigma dey follow the disease like shadow! The dermatologists don dey shout say make dem provide immediate intervention to clear the drugs out and give people access to treatment wey dem need sharp sharp!
Dem also don mention some recent research wey don show say leprosy dey strong for Naija, with plenty patients dey suffer from the burden. E no just dey bad, e dey affect the family and economy of the individuals wey dey face this kind issue. Na serious business be this!
As dem dey package all dis matter, dem still dey beg NAFDAC make dem help clear the donated drugs wey WHO don send. E no go make sense if leprosy continue dey spread just because bureaucratic gidi-gidi dey stop drugs from coming out.
So, my people, make we keep our eyes open for this matter! Because dem don talk say, ‘Cure no dey without drugs, stigma no go finish without treatment, and treatment no go dey available without proper access.’ Na serious public health issue we dey talk so, and e go need everybody input to fix am!
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
