NIGERIA: Government subsidised AIDS drugs run low

AIDS activists in Nigeria are concerned that some 14,000 HIV-positive people on government subsidised drugs are running out of supplies.

The AIDS Alliance Nigeria (AAN) said in a statement that government supplies to almost all of the 25 treatment centres selected for the countrywide programme had stopped.

Nsikak Ekpe, president of AAN, said: "By June 2003 some centres had stopped administering the drugs. Those lucky to get the drugs have been given expired drugs."

The government recently announced that it had awarded a procurement contract worth US $500 million for antiretroviral drugs, but AAN said the deal was not transparent and there was no indication as to when the medication would be delivered.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Children,

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