- Reaffirms PrEP, other commodities as free of charge
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has raised the alarm over the illegal sale of new HIV prevention commodities in pharmacies, noting that oral PrEP, Cabotegravir Long-Acting (CAB-LA) and long-acting Lenacapavir (LEN-PrEP) are currently provided free of charge through designated health facilities.
The agency raised the concern on Friday in Lagos during a two-day workshop for media executives on LEN-PrEP, organised by NACA in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
CAB-LA and LEN-PrEP are injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis options, with CAB-LA administered every two months and LEN-PrEP every six months.
NACA officials said their concern followed discoveries that LEN-PrEP was being sold for hundreds of thousands of naira despite its availability free of charge through approved facilities.
They disclosed that a visit to a pharmacy in Lagos, where LEN-PrEP is not currently part of the pilot programme, found the injectable being offered for N609,000.
According to officials, the seller did not appear concerned about whether a prospective buyer had tested for HIV or undergone the clinical assessment required before receiving the drug.
Officials, however, lamented that the situation is not limited to Lagos, adding that a similar check in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) found LEN-PrEP being sold at a pharmacy for more than N500,000.
“We want to help break that market by ensuring people know that oral PrEP, CAB-LA and LEN-PrEP are available free of charge through the appropriate facilities,” one official said.
The agency said it had reported the cases to the relevant authorities and urged members of the public to report similar incidents.
NACA stressed that LEN-PrEP should only be accessed through designated health facilities, noting that the injectable is currently being piloted in eight states, while CAB-LA is available in five states.
The LEN-PrEP pilot covers Gombe, Kwara, Anambra, Ebonyi, Benue, FCT, Cross River and Akwa Ibom, while the CAB-LA programme covers Gombe, Kwara, Anambra, Ebonyi and FCT.
The agency urged prospective users to obtain the commodities only from approved facilities and warned against paying hundreds of thousands of naira for products available free through the programme.
It clarified, however, that users may be required to pay nominal charges for services such as registration, medical records or laboratory tests, depending on the facility.
Officials also said the illegal market reflected growing demand for LEN-PrEP, with some individuals exploiting limited public knowledge about where and how the drug could be obtained legally.
They explained that only one pharmaceutical company currently holds the patent for LEN-PrEP and that generic versions are not yet available.
According to them, prospective users cannot simply walk into a pharmacy and obtain LEN-PrEP, as access under the programme requires registration, HIV testing, clinical assessment and follow-up.
The officials said the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) currently operates three facilities providing LEN-PrEP in Nigeria, located in the FCT, Benue and Akwa Ibom, where prospective users can schedule appointments online.
They added that facilities administering CAB-LA and LEN-PrEP must maintain records of doses administered and retain empty drug containers for accountability and monitoring.
The agency said the commodities were being provided through designated pilot sites across the participating states.
For CAB-LA, the designated facilities in Gombe are Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Gombe State Specialist Hospital, Infectious Disease Hospital Zambuk and Kaltungo General Hospital. In Kwara, they are Kwara State University of Technology, Specialist Hospital Offa and Doma Hospital.
In Anambra, the sites are Onitsha General Hospital and Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, while Ebonyi has Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA), Police Clinic and Obu Comprehensive Health Centre. FCT sites are Asokoro Hospital, Maitama Hospital and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.
For LEN-PrEP, designated sites in Gombe include Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Infectious Disease Hospital Zambuk, Gombe State Specialist Hospital, Kaltungo General Hospital, ZARA and General Hospital Phi. Kwara sites are Kwara State University of Technology, Specialist Hospital Offa, Doma Hospital and Comprehensive Health Care Centre Shongai.
Anambra sites include Onitsha General Hospital, Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Comprehensive Health Centre NAUTH and Neni, while Ebonyi sites are Police Clinic, FETHA, Obu Comprehensive Health Centre and State Community Health Hospital.
In Benue, the designated facilities are Bishop Murray Medical Centre and General Hospital North Bank. FCT sites include Asokoro Hospital, Maitama Hospital, Romec Hospital and Maternity, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and Primary Health Centre Gwarinpa.
Cross River sites include General Hospital Calabar, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, General Hospital Akamkpa, and Bakassi, while Akwa Ibom sites include PWC OP Base, VUTH, and Solbi Specialist.
NACA urged Nigerians to use the approved facilities and rely on accurate information from health authorities rather than purchasing PrEP commodities through unapproved channels.
- Media Report