The World Health Organization has dispatched leprosy drugs to Nigeria, facing delays due to testing and vulnerability issues. Nigeria, burdened with over 1,000 cases annually, ranks fourth globally for leprosy prevalence. The delay in drug supply has worsened the condition of patients like Awwal Musa. Issues with drug requests have also been noted, where Nigeria was late in its requests for treatment doses. The drugs, manufactured by Novartis, were finally approved after testing in Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in December 2024.
‘Before last year, my wounds were healing, but now they are worse,’ Awwal Musa told Reuters. Musa's fingers are clawed and legs discharge pus due to the lack of medicine.
UN Special Rapporteur Beatriz Miranda-Galarza cited testing issues and systemic vulnerabilities as reasons for the delay in leprosy drug shipments to Nigeria.
Leprosy is present in 12 countries worldwide, with Nigeria, Brazil, India, and Indonesia among the most impacted, reporting between 1,000 to 10,000 cases annually.
Nigeria ranks fourth in the world for leprosy burden; despite the curability of the disease, the lack of proper treatment leads to severe disfigurements.
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