A Port Harcourt based pharmacist, Magnus Asonye, has warned that the reduction in United States funding for HIV programmes could lead to an increase in new HIV infections in Nigeria if prevention activities are not sustained.
Asonye, who spoke in an interview with Today FM’s Odinaka Celestine, said community pharmacies have not recorded significant changes in the availability or prices of condoms and other HIV prevention commodities. However, he noted that some programmes supporting HIV prevention and community outreach have already been reduced.
The pharmacist said the funding reduction has also affected HIV prevention services, particularly PrEP initiation and community outreach programmes targeting hard to reach populations, including people living in rural areas.
He called on the Federal Government to increase domestic funding for HIV programmes and incorporate community pharmacies into the national HIV response, saying pharmacists can support sensitisation, prevention, treatment and referral services.
Asonye warned that reduced access to condoms, PrEP, HIV testing and community sensitisation could leave more people undiagnosed and increase the risk of further transmission, particularly among Nigeria’s large young population.
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