NIGERIA: MSF urges quality healthcare with AIDS drugs

People living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria are in need of education in maintaining their anti-AIDS medication regimen, the international NGO, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has said.

MSF's country chief, Sebastian Weber, told Agence France-Presse his organisation welcomed the government's recently announced plans to expand its drug rollout, but "just handing out drugs is not enough to save lives".

According to Weber, any programme that did not succeed in helping patients adhere to the strict treatment regimen was "condemned to fail".

It is estimated that only 14,000 people currently have access to ARVs at designated sites, out of 200,000 targeted for treatment by the end of 2005.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]