The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has strongly refuted claims circulating in the media about the withdrawal of subsidies for antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), describing such reports as “completely false and misleading.”
In a statement released on Sunday, NACA’s Director-General, Dr. Temitope Ilori, clarified that the false reports suggesting a rise in ARV prices to N250,000 per dose, requiring patients to pay up to N500,000 monthly, were untrue.
“We want to categorically state that HIV treatment in Nigeria remains free of charge at government-approved health facilities,” Dr. Ilori said, emphasizing that no withdrawal of support from key international partners, including the US Government, USAID, or the World Health Organization, had occurred.
Ilori also acknowledged the vital role of donor agencies, such as the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund, in sustaining HIV treatment efforts in Nigeria. She reassured the public that NACA’s commitment to providing uninterrupted access to treatment is unwavering.
“We give thanks to donor agencies for their continued support,” Ilori added. “There has been no withdrawal of funding or support regarding HIV treatment in Nigeria.”
The NACA Director-General urged the public to disregard the misinformation and rely only on verified sources for health-related updates. She stressed that the agency remains dedicated to ensuring no person living with HIV is denied access to life-saving treatment due to fear or misinformation.
NACA continues to collaborate with international partners to maintain and expand the progress made in controlling HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.