By Ijeoma Obioma
Legal advocacy organization Lawyers Alert (LA) has raised concerns over the growing risk of increased HIV and tuberculosis (TB) deaths in Nigeria, attributing it to a reduction in foreign aid.
The group urged immediate government intervention to ensure continued access to life-saving treatments.
During a two-day advocacy workshop organized in partnership with the Media and Health, and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR), I. Makurdi,LA President Rommy Mom stressed that without urgent action, vulnerable groups—particularly women and girls—will be hardest hit by the looming healthcare crisis.
“Are we going to continue shutting down programs and allowing people to die? If foreign aid ends, how will Nigeria and states like Benue guarantee access to essential drugs? These treatments are costly, and many cannot afford them,” Mom pointed out.
The workshop, part of the Global Fund’s Gender Equality Fund (GEF) project, focused on equipping advocates and journalists with the tools to push for policies that address healthcare disparities and ensure equal access to HIV and TB treatment.
Participants explored strategies to enhance government accountability, secure sustainable healthcare funding, and prioritize marginalized populations in healthcare policies to avert a potential public health catastrophe.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
