Nigeria Set To Commence Production Of Hiv Test Kits, Anti-Retroviral Drugs

The Nigerian government has announced plans to commence domestic production of HIV commodities, including test kits and anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, before the end of 2025.
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Temitope Ilori, disclosed this on Friday in Ilorin during the inauguration of the Kwara Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and Paediatrics ART Acceleration Committee.
Ms Ilori explained that the initiative was part of the government’s broader efforts to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Other measures being implemented include enrolling individuals in the National Health Insurance Scheme, mobilising resources for states, enhancing advocacy campaigns, and supporting research into HIV vaccines.
She noted that establishing the committee was aimed at achieving an AIDS-free generation and ensuring a sustainable HIV response.
“UNAIDS 2023 reports indicate that approximately 140,000 children aged 0-14 are living with HIV, with 22,000 new infections and 15,000 AIDS-related deaths occurring annually. Despite progress, PMTCT and paediatric HIV coverage remains below 33 per cent far from the 95 per cent target,” she said.
“To address this, the Global Alliance Action Plan to End AIDS in Children was developed in 2021 with full financial support, yet coverage remains suboptimal,” she added.
She also highlighted that although Kwara’s HIV prevalence rate of 0.8 per cent is below the national average of 1.4 per cent, significant disparities remain.
She said women are disproportionately affected, with a prevalence of 1.3 per cent compared to 0.4 per cent in men.
She added that some local governments still require targeted interventions to reduce prevalence further.
“Achieving an AIDS-free generation is within reach and no child should be born HIV-positive in Kwara State,” she said.
She urges all partners to support the government in developing a comprehensive line-list of children of HIV-positive clients which is crucial to accelerating paediatric ART nationwide.
Ms Ilori noted that the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, had established a National Acceleration Committee, and the model is being replicated at the state level to eliminate mother-to-child transmission and enhance real-time monitoring of HIV programmes.