HIV progress threatened as test kit supplies collapse in Nigeria

Nigeria is facing a widespread shortage of HIV test kits following the halt of US government funding for PEPFAR, a development that has disrupted HIV testing and community outreach across the country despite federal assurances of increased domestic funding.

Across multiple states, People Living With HIV (PLHIV), care workers and NEPWHAN coordinators noted that while antiretroviral drugs have remained largely stable, test kits for diagnosis and monitoring have almost disappeared, crippling efforts to meet the global 95-95-95 target by 2030.

In Bauchi, fear spread quickly after the January 20 announcement pausing US foreign aid.

Many PLHIV rushed to treatment centres, worried about drug shortages.

Though ART supply eventually stabilised, “we ran out of test kits in November, and as of this month, they are still not available,” Bauchi NEPWHAN coordinator, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said.

The situation is similar across the South-East, South-South, North-Central and parts of the South-West, with community testing nearly grounded.

In Anambra and Enugu, PLHIV say test kits are rationed and outreach workers funded by donor partners have stopped working.

In Rivers and Jigawa, kits are “no longer available as they used to be,” leaving many residents unaware of their status.

Oyo State is battling a complete breakdown in testing services.

Experts warn the shortages could reverse years of progress.

TB/HIV specialist, Dr Dan Onwujekwe, said the inability to test and promptly place patients on treatment increases transmission risks and delays detection of treatment failure.

According to Punch Healthwise, to many states also report acute shortages of second and third-line drugs and paediatric ARTs.

UNICEF has already warned that shrinking global funding could increase HIV infections and deaths among children by 2040 if countries fail to scale up services.

Although the Federal Government approved a $200m intervention and launched a plan to boost local production of diagnostics and ARVs, NEPWHAN officials say test kits remain scarce nationwide, and community workers disengaged.

In contrast, Lagos reports stable supplies of test kits and ARTs, with the state government taking over funding for PrEP services previously supported by US donors.

Health experts insist Nigeria must urgently ramp up domestic financing and local manufacturing of test kits and drugs.

“We can’t always rely on donors,” Onwujekwe warned.

“After 40 years of the HIV epidemic, we should be producing our own test kits.”

Efforts to get NACA’s official response were unsuccessful, as the agency’s Director-General was unavailable for comment.